Definition

A small protein made of nine amino acids that helps control blood flow and inflammation in the body.

Example

Bradykinin is released during injury to help increase blood flow to the affected area.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of bradykinin?

Yeah, I read that it plays a role in inflammation.

Right! It’s interesting how it can cause vasodilation too.

Definitely! It’s amazing how our bodies respond to injury.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bradykinin is formed from "brady-" (from Greek "bradus", meaning slow) and "kinin" (from Greek "kinein", meaning to move). The word refers to a peptide that causes blood vessels to dilate slowly, hence the connection to the term 'slow'.

Memory Tip

Think of 'slow' ('brady-') and 'movement' ('kinin') to remember that bradykinin is a substance that causes slow dilation of blood vessels.

Visually Confused Words