Definition of "hyaluronidase" [hyaluronidase]

• An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the body, thereby increasing tissue permeability to fluids. Also called spreading factor. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "For hyaluronic acid fillers, there is a magic eraser called hyaluronidase."
• "Many studies have shown that echinacea prevents the formation of an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which destroys a natural barrier between healthy tissue and unwanted pathogenic organisms."
• "West DC, Shaw DM, Lorenz P, Adzick NS, Longaker MT: Fibrotic healing of adult and late gestation fetal wounds correlates with increased hyaluronidase activity and removal of hyaluronan."