protamine

[ proh-tuh-meen, pro-tam-in ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of arginine-rich, strongly basic proteins that are not coagulated by heat, occurring primarily in the sperm of fish.

protamine

/ ˈprəʊtəˌmiːn /

noun

1. any of a group of basic simple proteins that occur, in association with nucleic acids, in the sperm of some fish

Word History and Origins

Origin of protamine¹

First recorded in 1870–75; prot- + amine

Word History and Origins

Origin of protamine¹

C19: from German: see proto- , amine

Example Sentences

For example, the DrugBank page for protamine sulfate, a medication often used in heart surgery, included information taken from the medication’s Wikipedia page.

From Slate

They used two drugs which worked equally well: toluidine blue, a tissue stain, and protamine sulfate, a protein compound.

From Time Magazine Archive

Protamine zinc insulin, a slow-acting variant, is injected in a larger dose only once a day.

From Time Magazine Archive

The substance which slows insulin's reaction in the blood is a protamine derived from the sperm of the handsome, hardy rainbow trout.

From Time Magazine Archive

But before it got back into the patient, where the clotting factor was necessary once more, the doctors gave it another injection, this time of protamine, to counteract the heparin.

From Time Magazine Archive