muramidase

Thân thiện

A scientist examines the action of muramidase under a microscope.

Definition

Noun: An enzyme, specifically lysozyme, that is found in bodily fluids such as saliva, sweat, and tears. Its primary function is to destroy the cell walls of certain bacteria, acting as part of the body's innate immune defense.

Usage Examples

• The presence of muramidase in tears helps protect the eyes from bacterial infection.
• Researchers are studying the antibacterial properties of muramidase.
• Muramidase activity can be measured as an indicator of certain immune responses.

Advanced Usage

• Biochemical Context: In scientific literature, "muramidase" is often used synonymously with "lysozyme" when referring to its specific enzymatic activity of hydrolyzing the peptidoglycan layer in bacterial cell walls.
  • The study focused on the kinetic properties of muramidase.

Variants and Related Words

• Lysozyme (n): The more common biochemical name for muramidase.
  • Egg whites are a rich source of lysozyme.

Synonyms

• Lysozyme
• N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase (systematic enzyme name)

Học thuật

Noun

1. an enzyme found in saliva and sweat and tears that destroys the cell walls of certain bacteria

Từ đồng nghĩa

• lysozyme