Irisin
/ˈaɪrɪsɪn/noun
A hormone-like myokine released mainly by skeletal muscle during exercise that influences energy metabolism and the conversion of some white fat into beige fat.
Did you know?Irisin was named for Iris, the Greek goddess and divine messenger, because its discoverers viewed the molecule as a messenger carrying exercise’s effects throughout the body.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἶρις (îris)
“Rainbow; also the iris flower and the goddess Iris, associated with the rainbow and divine messages.”
Classical Latin
Latin
īris
“Rainbow; iris flower; a word borrowed from Greek.”
19th Century
English
iris
“The colored ring of the eye, named for its resemblance to the many-colored iris flower.”
1803
English
iridium
“A chemical element named from Latin iris, “rainbow,” because of the varied colors of its compounds.”
2012
Scientific English
irisin
“A newly named exercise-related myokine, coined from Iris with the biological suffix -in.”
Modern English
English
irisin
“A muscle-secreted signaling molecule studied for its roles in metabolism and exercise physiology.”
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