phosphatase
- n any of a group of enzymes that act as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of organic phosphates
- The results: they were able to identify the telltale phosphatase elevation in the blood of 33% of patients in the early, first stage of the disease.
- If phosphatase is present in the Martian dust, it will eat away the inhibiting phosphate, and the fluid in the multivator's chambers will begin to glow.