zymogen

(noun)

A proenzyme, or enzyme precursor, which requires a biochemical change (i.e. hydrolysis) to become an active form of the enzyme.

Examples of zymogen in the following topics:

Chemical Digestion of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic Acids
- The digestive enzymes, however, are secreted mainly as their inactive precursors, the zymogens.
Associated Organs
- The pancreas synthesizes its enzymes in the inactive form, known as zymogens, to avoid digesting itself.
- These zymogens are inactivated forms of trypsin and chymotrypsin.