HealthAugust 27, 2026

overexpressed

oh-ver-ek-SPREST

Definition

Produced in higher-than-normal quantities by a cell or organism, specifically referring to proteins or genes in a biological context.

Etymology

The word is formed by the prefix 'over-', meaning 'excessive,' combined with the past participle of 'express,' which in biology refers to the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product.

In the news

In the article, the HER2 protein is described as overexpressed in about 20% of breast cancers, making it a key target for specific antibody therapies like trastuzumab.

Wayne State researcher earns $3.1M grant to improve HER2+ breast cancer treatment

Read the full article ↗

Today@Wayne

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