proinsulin

American

[proh-in-suh-lin, -ins-yuh-] / proʊˈɪn sə lɪn, -ˈɪns jə- /

noun

Biochemistry.

the prohormone of insulin, converted into insulin by enzymatic removal of part of the molecule.

Etymology

Origin of proinsulin

First recorded in 1915–20; pro- ¹ + insulin

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.

See Examples For:

proinsulin

Previous research has linked this decline to the misfolding of proinsulin, the precursor protein cells use to make insulin.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

When researchers genetically removed p58IPK from two different cell lines, misfolded proinsulin accumulated at higher levels.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Their beta cells made smaller amounts of both proinsulin and insulin.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

When cells produced extra BiP but lacked p58IPK, they showed only modest gains in proinsulin folding and its movement out of the cell.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Still, human proinsulin and, surprisingly, insulin were detectable in the milk.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024

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