carbonic anhydrase

Main Entry: carbonic an·hy·drase
Pronunciation: -an-'hI-"drAs, -"drAz
Function: noun
: a zinc-containing enzyme that occurs in living tissues(as red blood cells) and aids carbon-dioxide transport from the tissues and its release from the blood in the lungs by catalyzing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to carbonic acid

carbonic anhydrase

enzyme found in red blood cells, gastric mucosa, pancreatic cells, and renal tubules that catalyzes the interconversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic anhydrase plays an important role in respiration by influencing CO2 transport in the blood. The enzyme also functions in the formation of hydrochloric acid by the stomach.

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