protein - any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes; "a diet high in protein"capsid - the outer covering of protein surrounding the nucleic acid of a virus gluten - a protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains; gives cohesiveness to dough meat - the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food legume - the seedpod of a leguminous plant (such as peas or beans or lentils) eggs, egg - oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food milk - a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings amino acid, aminoalkanoic acid - organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group; "proteins are composed of various proportions of about 20 common amino acids" actomyosin - a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions aleurone - granular protein in outermost layer of endosperm of many seeds or cereal grains amyloid - (pathology) a waxy translucent complex protein resembling starch that results from degeneration of tissue apoenzyme - a protein that combines with a coenzyme to form an active enzyme enzyme - any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions fibrin - a white insoluble fibrous protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen when blood clots; it forms a network that traps red cells and platelets growth factor - a protein that is involved in cell differentiation and growth hatoglobin - a protein in plasma that binds free hemoglobin and removes it (as from wounds) nucleoprotein - any of several substances found in the nuclei of all living cells; consists of a protein bound to a nucleic acid opsin - retinal protein formed by the action of light on rhodopsin prostate specific antigen, PSA - a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; PSA is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of PSA in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer proteome - the full complement of proteins produced by a particular genome simple protein - a protein that yields only amino acids when hydrolyzed polypeptide - a peptide containing 10 to more than 100 amino acids cytokine - any of various proteins secreted by cells of the immune system that serve to regulate the immune system ferritin - a protein containing 20% iron that is found in the intestines and liver and spleen; it is one of the chief forms in which iron is stored in the body antibody - any of a large variety of proteins normally present in the body or produced in response to an antigen which it neutralizes, thus producing an immune response |