Definition of "depolymerize" []

• To decompose a polymer into smaller fragments (verb)

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• "While taxanes overpolymerize and bundle microtubules into sheets, vinca alkaloids depolymerize microtubules into soluble tubulin."
• "Instead, the evidence suggests that it utilizes an arsenal of small oxidizing agents that blast through plant cell walls to depolymerize the cellulose."
• "(A) HeLa cells expressing βarr2-GFP fusion were untreated (control) or treated with nocodazole or taxol (10 µM) to depolymerize or stabilize microtubule network respectively."