cytochrome c oxidase
(redirected from cytochrome aa3)cy·to·chrome c ox·i·dase
(sī'tō-krōm oks'i-dās),A cupriferous cytochrome of the a type that catalyzes the oxidation of four molecules of ferrocytochrome c by molecular oxygen to produce four molecules of ferricytochrome c and 2H2O. A part of Complex IV of the respiratory chain. A deficiency of one or more of the polypeptides of this complex results in neuronal loss in the brain leading to psychomotor retardation and neurodegenerative disease.