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ornithine

noun
or·​ni·​thine | \ ˈȯr-nÉ™-ËŒthÄ“n How to pronounce ornithine (audio) \

Definition of ornithine

: a crystalline amino acid C5H12N2O2 that functions especially in urea production as a carrier by undergoing conversion to citrulline and then arginine in reaction with ammonia and carbon dioxide followed by recovery along with urea by enzymatic hydrolysis of arginine

First Known Use of ornithine

1878, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for ornithine

International Scientific Vocabulary ornithuric acid (a compound of which ornithine is a component, found in the urine of birds) + -ine entry 2

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More Definitions for ornithine

ornithine

noun
or·​ni·​thine | \ ˈȯr-nÉ™-ËŒthÄ“n How to pronounce ornithine (audio) \

Medical Definition of ornithine

: a crystalline amino acid C5H12N2O2 that functions especially in urea production as a carrier by undergoing conversion to citrulline and then arginine in reaction with ammonia and carbon dioxide followed by recovery along with urea by enzymatic hydrolysis of arginine

More from Merriam-Webster on ornithine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ornithine

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