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pepsinogen

American  
[pep-sin-uh-juhn, -jen] / pɛpˈsɪn ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn /

noun

Biochemistry.

  1. crystals, occurring in the gastric glands, that during digestion are converted into pepsin.

pepsinogen British  
/ pɛpˈsɪnədʒən /

noun

  1. the inactive precursor of pepsin produced by the stomach

"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

Other Word Forms

  • pepsinogenic adjective
  • pepsinogenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of pepsinogen

First recorded in 1875–80; pepsin + -o- + -gen

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.

Pepsin breaks peptide bonds and cleaves proteins into smaller polypeptides; it also helps activate more pepsinogen, starting a positive feedback mechanism that generates more pepsin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Pepsin is converted to pepsinogen with the help of hydrochloric acid.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Hydrochloric acid helps to convert the inactive pepsinogen to pepsin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Chief cells—Located primarily in the basal regions of gastric glands are chief cells, which secrete pepsinogen, the inactive proenzyme form of pepsin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

HCl is necessary for the conversion of pepsinogen to pepsin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.