chitin

[kahy-tin]

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, related chemically to cellulose, that forms a semitransparent horny substance and is a principal constituent of the exoskeleton, or outer covering, of insects, crustaceans, and arachnids.

chitin

/ ˈkaɪtɪn /

noun

1. a polysaccharide that is the principal component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and of the bodies of fungi

chitin

1. A tough, semitransparent substance that is the main component of the exoskeletons of arthropods, such as the shells of crustaceans and the outer coverings of insects. Chitin is also found in the cell walls of certain fungi and algae. Chemically, it is a nitrogenous polysaccharide (a carbohydrate).

Other Word Forms

• chitinoid adjective
• chitinous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chitin¹

1830–40; < French chitine < Greek chit ( ṓn ) tunic, chiton + French -ine -in ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of chitin¹

C19: from French chitine, from Greek khitōn _chiton + _-in

Example Sentences

Removing the chitin synthase gene resulted in a thinner cell wall, which made the internal protein more accessible for digestion.

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However, the bristle worms have a somewhat softer chitin -- the so-called beta chitin -- which is particularly interesting for biomedical applications.

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One tricky aspect of recycling, though, is that sometimes the recycling process is chemically intensive, and this is the case for recycling one of the world's most abundant materials -- chitin.

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Chitosan is a sugary polymer that can be easily made from the chitin shells of shellfish and has already found its way into wide-ranging commercial applications.

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In these tests, they used chitin fragments to trigger an immune response in the cells as chitin is an essential component of the cell walls of microorganisms such as molds and fungi.

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