1. An enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, the first step of glycolysis in cellular metabolism.
Usage: biochemistry; technical term

Examples

• Hexokinase is essential for cells to begin breaking down glucose for energy.
• The enzyme hexokinase is found in most tissues and plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism.
• In the glycolytic pathway, hexokinase catalyzes the first committed step of glucose utilization.
• Deficiency in hexokinase activity can impair a cell's ability to use glucose efficiently.
• Researchers studied how hexokinase expression changes in response to different nutrient conditions.