extending across a membrane, usually referring to a protein
transmembrane in American English
(trænsˈmɛmˌbreɪn; trænzˈmɛmˌbreɪn)
adjective
Cytology
passing or occurring through, or situated across, a cell membrane, esp. a plasma membrane
transmembrane in American English
(trænsˈmembrein, trænz-)
adjective
Biology
occurring across a membrane, as an electric potential or the transport of ions or gases
Word origin
[1940–45; trans- + membrane]This word is first recorded in the period 1940–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: blockbuster, sealant, silkscreen, snorkel, whiteouttrans- is a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin (transcend; transfix). On this model, trans- is used with the meanings “across,” “beyond,” “through,” “changing thoroughly,” “transverse,”in combination with elements of any origin. Other words that use the affix trans- include: trans-Martian, trans-Neptunian, transempirical, transisthmian, transvalue
Examples of 'transmembrane' in a sentence
transmembrane
The "extrinsic" pathway involves transmembrane, extracellular receptor-dependent activation of caspase-8 (and possibly -10).
The Scientist (2001)
Tetraspans have four transmembrane domains, and may provide links to phosphatidylinositol signaling pathways.