Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an enzyme attached to the outer surface (cell membranes) of cells in the lungs, arteries, heart, kidney, and intestines. ACE2 lowers blood pressure by catalyzing the hydrolysis of angiotensin II (a vasoconstrictor peptide) into angiotensin (1–7) (a vasodilator).
Pronunciation
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is pronounced as "an-gee-oh-ten-sin con-verting en-zyme two".
Etymology
The term "Angiotensin" is derived from the term "angio-" meaning blood vessel and "-tensin" meaning tension. The "converting enzyme 2" part of the name refers to the enzyme's ability to convert one type of molecule to another.
Related Terms
- Angiotensin: A peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction and a subsequent increase in blood pressure.
- Enzyme: A substance produced by a living organism which acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction.
- Vasoconstriction: The narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels.
- Vasodilation: The dilatation of blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure.
Function
ACE2 is a key regulator of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which controls blood pressure. It is able to counterbalance ACE, to some extent, by reducing the amount of angiotensin-II and increasing Ang (1-7), causing blood vessels to dilate and blood pressure to reduce.
Clinical Significance
ACE2 has direct effects on cardiac function and is implicated in heart function and disease. It is also thought to play a role in the effects of coronavirus infections such as SARS and COVID-19, as it is used by these viruses to enter cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
- Wikipedia's article - Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski