Glucokinase

/ˌɡluːkoʊˈkaɪneɪs/ noun

Definition

An enzyme that phosphorylates glucose as the first step of glucose metabolism, crucial for regulating blood sugar in the pancreas and liver.

Etymology

From 'gluco-' (glucose) plus '-kinase' (from Greek 'kinesis,' movement; an enzyme that catalyzes phosphate transfer); literally 'glucose mover.'

Kelly Says

Glucokinase is your pancreas's glucose sensor and the gatekeeper of metabolism—it only activates when blood sugar is high, so it's literally how your body knows when you've eaten something sweet!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.