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Michaelis-Menten Kinetics

Meaning

Michaelis-Menten Kinetics is a foundational mathematical model in biochemistry and enzymology that precisely describes the rate of enzymatic reactions as a function of substrate concentration. This model is absolutely critical for quantitatively understanding the relationship between the availability of a reactant and the resultant enzyme activity, providing a robust framework to characterize enzyme efficiency. Clinically, this kinetic framework helps predict how metabolic pathways, often driven by rate-limiting enzymes, will respond to changes in nutrient, hormone, or drug concentrations.