PEPSINOGEN Meaning and
Definition
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Pepsinogen is a term referring to an inactive precursor or proenzyme that is produced in certain cells in the stomach, specifically the chief or peptic cells found in the gastric glands. It is secreted into the gastric juice, which is a digestive fluid present in the stomach. Pepsinogen is a crucial component in the process of protein digestion.
The term "pepsinogen" derives from the combination of "pepsin," which is the active form of the enzyme that breaks down proteins, and "-gen," a suffix meaning a precursor or inactive form of an enzyme. This enzyme precursor is released into the gastric juice and becomes activated upon exposure to the highly acidic environment of the stomach.
When activated, pepsinogen is converted into pepsin through the action of hydrochloric acid (HCl) present in the stomach. Pepsin plays a crucial role in breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptide chains, facilitating their digestion and absorption.
Pepsinogen serves as a protective mechanism for the stomach lining. If pepsin were to be continuously active, it could potentially digest the cells that produce it, leading to tissue damage and ulcers. Therefore, the production of pepsinogen allows for the storage and transport of the inactive enzyme precursor to the stomach, where it can be activated as needed for protein digestion.
In summary, pepsinogen is an inactive proenzyme secreted by the gastric glands in the stomach, which upon activation, becomes pepsin, an enzyme that aids in the digestion of proteins.
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An enzyme in the peptic cells of the stomach, which is converted into pepsin.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PEPSINOGEN
- oepsinogen
- lepsinogen
- -epsinogen
- 0epsinogen
- pwpsinogen
- pspsinogen
- pdpsinogen
- prpsinogen
- p4psinogen
- p3psinogen
- peosinogen
- pelsinogen
- pe-sinogen
- pe0sinogen
- pepainogen
- pepzinogen
- pepxinogen
- pepdinogen
- pepeinogen
- pepsinhogen
- Papainogen
- Peissinogen
- pepsinogenic
Etymology of PEPSINOGEN
The word "pepsinogen" is derived from two components: "pepsin" and "-gen".
1. Pepsin: Pepsin is an enzyme found in the stomach that aids in digestion by breaking down proteins into smaller peptide fragments. The term "pepsin" comes from the Greek word "peptein", meaning "to digest".
2. -Gen: The suffix "-gen" is of Greek origin and is used to indicate a precursor or formative substance. It is derived from the word "genēs", meaning "born" or "origin".
Combining these two components, "pepsinogen" refers to the inactive precursor of the enzyme pepsin, which is converted into its active form during the process of digestion.
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