Albumine

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A soluble protein found in blood plasma and in the white of an egg ; a light-sensitive coating once applied to paper for making photographic prints
2. A water-soluble protein occurring in blood serum and egg whites ; a sensitized layer formerly used on photographic paper to produce prints
3. The simple protein present in blood and egg white that coagulates when heated ; a coating of this material once used to prepare photographic printing paper

Etymology: Albumine is an older spelling of "albumin," the name for a family of water-soluble proteins. It comes from the Latin "albumen," meaning egg white, which in turn comes from "albus," meaning white. The name fits well: the protein's most familiar source is the white of an egg, which is mostly albumin dissolved in water. The word then moved from the kitchen to the laboratory. Chemists applied the name to any protein with similar properties, so that a term for one food became a label for a whole class of molecules found in blood, milk, and plant tissue. The English form "albumen" kept the older sense of egg white, while "albumin" took on the broader chemical meaning.

Synonyms: albumin