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Meaning of "key"



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
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Meaning of "key" Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:10 am  Meaning of "key"
 

"The blastocyst now consists of many hundreds of cells and small sugar molecules form on its surface. These give it the necessary firm foothold in the uterus as they key into similar molecules on the endometrium."

Does "these" refer to "small sugar molecules"?
What does "key" mean in this context?
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Meaning of "key" Wed Nov 22, 2006 14:34 pm  Meaning of "key"
 

.
'These' are indeed the small sugar molecules.
'Key' I suppose means that they interlock or doing something chemically similar. The sugar molecules on the blastocyst form some sort of chemical bonds with similar sugar molecules on the uterine wall.
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Meaning of "key" Wed Nov 22, 2006 15:06 pm  Meaning of "key"
 

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Expression: 'Find words in the passage... | Plural or not (spam emails vs. email spam)
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