Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,920,415,088 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

protease
(redirected from protease-antiprotease imbalance)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
protease /pro·te·ase/ (pro´te-ās) endopeptidase.
pro·te·ase (prt-s, -z)
n.
Any of various enzymes, including the proteinases and peptidases, that catalyze the hydrolytic breakdown of proteins.

protease
[prō′tē·ās]
an enzyme that is a catalyst in the breakdown of peptide bonds that join the amino acids in a protein. See also proteolysis.

endopeptidase [en″do-pep´tĭ-dās]
any peptidase that catalyzes the cleavage of internal bonds in a polypeptide or protein. Inhibition of the action of endopeptidases (proteases) in viruses causes formation of noninfectious particles; certain antiviral drugs work in this way (see protease inhibitors). Called also protease and proteinase.

protease
any proteolytic enzyme.

protease-antiprotease imbalance
thought to play a part in the pathogenesis of emphysema by permitting excessive proteolysis, especially of elastin.
fecal protease
originate from the pancreas and include trypsin, chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidases. Proteolytic activity of the feces may be evaluated by tests that measure digestion of gelatin or casein-based substrates.
α1-protease inhibitor
α1-antitrypsin.


Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Add definition
Mentioned in?  References in periodicals archive?   Medical browser?   Full browser?
 
While the precise mechanisms of the pathogenesis of COPD have not been defined, increased oxidant burden and protease-antiprotease imbalance have been proposed.
 
 
 
Medical Dictionary
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Advertise with Us | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.