maltase

maltase /mal·tase/ (mawl´tas)

1. a.

2. any enzyme with similar glycolytic activity, cleaving a-1,4 and sometimes a-1,6 linked glucose residues from nonreducing termini; in humans there are considered to be four such enzymes; two are the heat-stable enzymes, usually called maltases, constituting the glucoamylase complex; the other two are the heat-labile enzymes, usually called sucrase and isomaltase.

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mal·tase (môlts, -tz)

n.

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of maltose to glucose.

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maltase

an enzyme that hydrolyzes a-glucosides to glucose; there are two maltases found at the brush border of the intestinal epithelium, where they hydrolyze maltose (a product of the digestion of starch) to glucose for absorption. Maltase is absent from the intestine at birth and calves are unable to properly digest starch as a result.