albuminoid

9.9

A simple protein in hard body parts like hair and nails and in the eye lens

noun
/ˈæl.bəˌmaɪ.nɔɪd/

Archaic

: albuminoide

Keratin is an albuminoid present in hair and nails.

Examples

Collagen, an important albuminoid, provides structure to connective tissues.
Some diseases affect the albuminoid content of the eye lens, leading to vision problems.
An albuminoid is essential for the formation of cartilage.
Many albuminoids are important for biological processes.
Collagen, an important albuminoid, provides structure to connective tissues.
Keratin is a crucial albuminoid found in hair and nails.
Some diseases can alter the albuminoid levels in the lens of the eye, affecting vision.

Synonyms

scleroprotein

vsalbuminoid

Specialized

1 9.9

A strong protein in body parts like hair, nails, and bone

is narrower referring to one simple protein in horny tissues cartilage and lens

Surface Forms

albuminoid singular

albuminoids plural

Morphology

albuminoid = albumin (transparent) = albumin + oid

Formed by the regular combination of 'albumin' + '-oid', meaning 'resembling or like albumin', so knowledge of 'albumin' allows inference of meaning.

Etymology

Albuminoid comes from albumin, which comes from Latin albumen meaning 'egg white', because these simple proteins were first found in egg white. The ending -oid means 'like' or 'similar to', as in humanoid, so an albuminoid is a simple protein 'like' albumin found in tissues such as hair, nails, cartilage and the lens of the eye.