Zymogen (Noun)
Meaning
Any of a group of compounds that are inactive precursors of enzymes and require some change (such as the hydrolysis of a fragment that masks an active enzyme) to become active.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The pancreatic juice contains several zymogens that are converted into enzymes in the intestinal tract, where they help digest food.
- Pepsinogen is a zymogen produced by the stomach lining and converted into pepsin, an active enzyme, in the acidic environment of the stomach.
- Trypsinogen is another example of a zymogen that is converted into the active enzyme trypsin in the small intestine.
- In the liver, a zymogen called prothrombin is produced and then activated into thrombin, an enzyme that plays a critical role in blood clotting.
- The activation of zymogens into enzymes is a crucial step in many biological processes, such as digestion, blood clotting, and cell signaling.