perforin
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of perforin
First recorded in 1980–85; perfor(ate) ( def. ) + -in 2 ( def. )
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.
This included perforin, a protein that creates holes in target cells, and granzyme A, a toxic molecule delivered through those openings.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
They eliminate these threats through a process called degranulation, which releases a protein known as perforin.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2025
Binding of TCRs with antigens activates CTLs to release perforin and granzyme, degradative enzymes that will induce apoptosis of the infected cell.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
In this process, the CTL does not become infected and is not harmed by the secretion of perforin and granzymes.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
A granzyme is a protein-digesting enzyme that enters the cell via the perforin pores and triggers apoptosis intracellularly.
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.
