spectrin

American

[spek-trin] / ˈspɛk trɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

a rodlike structural protein of the red blood cell membrane.

spectrin British

/ ˈspɛktrɪn /

noun

any one of a class of fibrous proteins found in the membranes of red blood cells, the brain, the intestine, etc

"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 spectrin

First recorded in 1968; spect(e)r + -in ²; cf. ghost ( def. 12 )

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 includes the protein spectrin, a cytoskeletal protein element.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Fortunately, their structural proteins like spectrin are flexible, allowing them to bend over themselves to a surprising degree, then spring back again when they enter a wider vessel.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

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