intrinsic factor

American  

noun

Biochemistry.

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

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intrinsic factor British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of intrinsic factor

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The other substance, called intrinsic factor, mixes with the stomach's contents and travels with them into the first part of the small intestine — the duodenum.

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