Definition of Glutathione
1. [n -S]
Medical Definition of Glutathione
1.
The tripeptide _ glutamylcysteinylglycine. It contains an unusual peptide linkage between the _ carboxyl group of the glutamate side chain and the amine group of cysteine.
The concentration of glutathione in animal cells is _5mM and its sulphydryl group is kept largely in the reduced state. This allows it to act as a sulphydryl buffer, reducing any disulphide bonds formed within cytoplasmic proteins to cysteines. Hence, few, if any, cytoplasmic proteins contain disulphide bonds.
Glutathione is also important as a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, in the uptake of amino acids and participates in leucotriene synthesis.
This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology
(11 Mar 2008)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Glutathione
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