intrinsic factor

American

noun

Biochemistry.

a glycoprotein, secreted by the gastric mucosa, that is involved in the intestinal absorption of vitamin B 12 .

intrinsic factor British

noun

biochem a glycoprotein, secreted by the stomach, the presence of which is necessary for the absorption of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B 12 ) in the intestine

"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 intrinsic factor

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

Once in the duodenum, pancreatic juices release B12 from R-protein and hand it to intrinsic factor.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2022

Production of gastric acid and intrinsic factor by the specialized parietal cells in the stomach is critical for B12 absorption to occur.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2022

However, people whose stomachs don’t secrete enough intrinsic factor may need B12 injections.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2022

The intestinal absorption of vitamin B12, which is necessary for both the production of mature red blood cells and normal neurological functioning, cannot occur without intrinsic factor.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Eleventh Grade Adolescence is an explosive age wherein change is an intrinsic factor.

From Through these Eyes The courageous struggle to find meaning in a life stressed with cancer by Isaacson, Lauren Ann

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