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actin

noun

  1. motor protein
  2. protein in Schistosoma mansoni
  3. protein
L57482 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈæktɪn/

noun

Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἀκτίς (aktís, “ray”), based on the shape of the filament formed, + -in.

  1. A globular structural protein that polymerizes in a helical fashion to form an actin filament (or microfilament).

    2012, Elaine N. Marieb & Katja Hoehn, Human Anatomy & Physiology, 8th ed., chapter 9 "Muscles and Muscle Tissue", page 281. Actin has kidney-shaped polypeptide subunits, called globular actin or G actin, which bear the active sites to which the myosin heads attach during contraction.

  2. One of the six isoforms of actin.