Renin
/ˈriː.nɪn/noun
An enzyme released by the kidneys that helps regulate blood pressure and fluid balance.
Did you know?The name renin was coined in 1898 from the Latin word for kidney, rēn, after researchers discovered the kidney-derived substance’s role in blood-pressure regulation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁rēn-
“A reconstructed root referring to a kidney.”
Classical Latin
Latin
rēn
“Kidney; commonly seen in the plural rēnēs.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
rēnēs
“Kidneys, especially in anatomical and medical terminology.”
14th Century
Middle English
reins
“Kidneys; a literary or anatomical term borrowed through Anglo-French.”
1898
Scientific English
renin
“A substance associated with the kidney, coined by physiologists Tigerstedt and Bergman.”
Modern English
English
renin
“A kidney-produced enzyme involved in the renin–angiotensin system and blood-pressure control.”