noun
- Plural of arginase; enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of arginine into ornithine and urea.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Arginases play a crucial role in the urea cycle, breaking down arginine in liver cells.
- The activity of arginases can be measured in laboratory tests to assess metabolic function.
- Different arginases are found in various tissues, including the liver and immune cells.
- Mutations affecting arginase genes can lead to argininemia, a rare metabolic disorder.
- Researchers study arginases to understand how they regulate nitric oxide production in blood vessels.