proenzyme
Dormant catalyst form
A proenzyme is an inactive precursor to an enzyme, requiring chemical change before it can function.
The body produces proenzymes as a safety mechanism—digestive enzymes, for instance, would damage tissues if active before reaching their destination.
Also called a zymogen: Pepsinogen is a proenzyme that becomes pepsin in the stomach's acidic environment.
Not currently functioning
- precursorSomething that comes first
- latentPresent but inactive
- dormantInactive but capable
- preformShape before final processing
unactivated · storage · secretion · compartmentalization · granule · vesicle · pancreatic · pepsinogen
Agent enabling change
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- proteinFolded amino chain
- polypeptideAmino acid polymer
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
hydrolysis · protease · peptidase · kinetics · cofactor · regulation · inhibition · specificity
Bodily food breakdown
- coagulationLiquid solidifying into mass
- blood clottingPlatelets forming solid mass
- apoptosisProgrammed cell death
- homeostasisBiological internal stability maintenance
protection · self-digestion · pancreas · stomach · intestine · extracellular · inflammation
Tendency to split cleanly
- proteolysisEnzymatic protein breakdown
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- conversionAct of changing states
- active siteEnzyme region binding substrates
signal peptide · modification · cascade · triggered · irreversible · thrombin · N-terminal · processing
inactive
Not currently functioning
preform · unactivated · storage · secretion · compartmentalization · granule · vesicle · pancreatic · pepsinogen · chymotrypsinogen
catalyst
Agent enabling change
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- proteinFolded amino chain
- polypeptideAmino acid polymer
amino acids · hydrolysis · protease · peptidase · kinetics · cofactor · regulation · inhibition · specificity · catalysis
digestion
Bodily food breakdown
- coagulationLiquid solidifying into mass
- blood clottingPlatelets forming solid mass
- apoptosisProgrammed cell death
homeostasis · protection · self-digestion · pancreas · stomach · intestine · extracellular · inflammation
cleavage
Tendency to split cleanly
- proteolysisEnzymatic protein breakdown
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- conversionAct of changing states
active site · signal peptide · modification · cascade · triggered · irreversible · thrombin · N-terminal · processing