perforin

[pur-fer-in]

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a protein produced by killer cells of the immune system that causes disintegration of targeted cells by forming pores in their membranes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of perforin¹

First recorded in 1980–85; perfor(ate) ( def. ) + -in ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

They eliminate these threats through a process called degranulation, which releases a protein known as perforin.

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One of a killer T cell’s most important weapons is perforin, a protein that punctures the outer membrane of the target cell.

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Whether killer T cells just squirt out granzymes and perforin or rely on specialized structures to transport the lethal molecules to the target cell has not been clear.

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Cells release some types of small particles that are swaddled in lipids, but SMAPs sport a protein coat and harbor granzyme and perforin in their core.

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Instead of just leaking perforin and granzymes, killer T cells fashion a complex receptacle to deliver them, the researchers conclude.

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