an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid, thus decreasing the viscosity of the medium containing the acid
Word origin
C20: hyalo- + Greek ouron urine + -id3 + -ase
hyaluronidase in American English
(ˌhaɪəluˈrɑnɪˌdeɪs)
noun
an enzyme that inactivates hyaluronic acid by breaking down its polymeric structure, thus promoting the diffusion of substances through tissues: found in sperm cells, certain venoms and bacteria, etc.