First Known Use: 1881
Dictionary
ornithine
noun or·ni·thine \ˈȯr-nə-ˌthēn\
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
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Origin of ORNITHINE
International Scientific Vocabulary ornithuric acid (a compound of which ornithine is a component, found in the urine of birds) + 2-ine
Medical Dictionary
ornithine
noun or·ni·thine \ˈȯr-nə-ˌthēn\
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
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