proenkephalin

English

Etymology

From pro- +‎ enkephalin.

Noun

proenkephalin (countable and uncountable, plural proenkephalins)

1. (biochemistry) A precursor of leuenkephalin and metenkephalin.
   • 2007 December 11, Craig Howard Kinsley, Massimo Bardi, Kate Karelina, Brandi Rima, Lillian Christon, Julia Friedenberg, Garrett Griffin, “Motherhood Induces and Maintains Behavioral and Neural Plasticity across the Lifespan in the Rat”, in Archives of Sexual Behavior, volume 37, number 1, →DOI:

     Finally, the gene for the opioid-associated precursor, proenkephalin (PRO), likewise displays enhanced expression (4.7-fold difference).

Derived terms

• preproenkephalin