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elastase

American

[ih-las-teys, -taz] / ɪˈlæs teɪs, -tæz /

noun

Biochemistry.

a pancreatic protease that catalyzes the hydrolysis of elastin and other related proteins to polypeptides and amino acids.

elastase British

/ ɪˈlæsteɪs /

noun

an enzyme that digests elastin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of elastase

First recorded in 1945–50; elast(in) + -ase

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin break proteins into peptides.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

In the duodenum, other enzymes—trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin—act on the peptides reducing them to smaller peptides.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The only abnormality he could find was a low level of a digestive protein called elastase in the man’s stool.

From New York Times • Apr. 14, 2022

Having the normal amount of the enzyme but more than the normal number of bowel movements can reduce the concentration of elastase found in any single movement.

From New York Times • Apr. 14, 2022

The pancreas releases most of the digestive enzymes, including the proteases trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase, which aid protein digestion.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023