cofactor

[ koh-fak-ter ]

noun

1. Biochemistry. any of various organic or inorganic substances necessary to the function of an enzyme.
2. Mathematics.
   1. a prefactor or postfactor.
   2. the product of the minor of a given element of a matrix times −1 raised to the power of the sum of the indices of the row and column crossed out in forming the minor.

cofactor

/ ˈkəʊˌfæktə /

noun

1. maths a number associated with an element in a square matrix, equal to the determinant of the matrix formed by removing the row and column in which the element appears from the given determinant See minor
2. biochem a nonprotein substance that forms a complex with certain enzymes and is essential for their activity. It may be a metal ion or a coenzyme

cofactor

/ kō′făk′tər /

1. A substance, such as a metallic ion or a coenzyme, that must be associated with an enzyme for the enzyme to function. Cofactors work by changing the shape of an enzyme or by actually participating in the enzymatic reaction.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cofactor¹

First recorded in 1935–40; co- + factor