carbonic anhydrase

noun

carbonic an·​hy·​drase -an-ˈhī-ˌdrās How to pronounce carbonic anhydrase (audio)
-ˌdrāz
: a zinc-containing enzyme that occurs in living tissues (such as red blood cells) and aids carbon-dioxide transport from the tissues and its release from the blood in the lungs by catalyzing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to carbonic acid

Examples of carbonic anhydrase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Taste of Carbonation Sour-sensing taste receptors specifically express a gene which encodes carbonic anhydrase 4, which is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of CO2 to bicarbonate ions (HCO3^-) and free protons (H^+). Eunice Liu, Discover Magazine, 2 Sep. 2014 Another was a mutation in a gene responsible for the production of carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme that slows the build up of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, a phenomenon that is associated with extreme diving. The Economist, 21 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

anhydrous + -ase; from its promotion of dehydration

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carbonic anhydrase was in 1932

Dictionary Entries Near carbonic anhydrase

Cite this Entry

“Carbonic anhydrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carbonic%20anhydrase. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

carbonic anhydrase

noun
carbonic an·​hy·​drase -an-ˈhī-ˌdrās, -ˌdrāz How to pronounce carbonic anhydrase (audio)
: a zinc-containing enzyme that occurs in living tissues (as red blood cells) and aids carbon-dioxide transport from the tissues and its release from the blood in the lungs by catalyzing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to carbonic acid

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