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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Physiological Processes

Enzyme

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈenzaɪm/nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, enzyme means: A protein that speeds up a specific chemical reaction in the body without being used up. Digestive enzymes, for example, break food down into molecules small enough to be absorbed.

In Turkish: enzim

How it is used

Many enzyme names end in -ase: amylase, lipase, protease. An enzyme acts on a substrate and works best at a particular temperature and pH. In clinical work, raised enzyme levels in the blood can point to damage in an organ.

Example sentences

  1. Pepsin is an enzyme in the stomach that starts the digestion of proteins.

  2. Most enzymes stop working properly if the temperature gets too high.

Common collocations

  • digestive enzyme
  • liver enzymes
  • enzyme activity
  • active site
  • metabolismAll the chemical reactions in the body's cells that break down food for energy and build new molecules. It includes catabolism (breaking down) and anabolism (building up).
  • digestionThe process of breaking food down into small molecules that the body can absorb. It is partly mechanical (chewing, churning) and partly chemical, using enzymes.
  • pancreasA gland behind the stomach with two jobs: it makes digestive enzymes that flow into the duodenum, and its islet cells release hormones such as insulin and glucagon into the blood.
  • stomachThe J-shaped muscular bag between the esophagus and the small intestine. It stores food, mixes it with acid and enzymes, and passes it on slowly to the duodenum.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Physiological Processes

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