noun
- Any of a group of yellow or orange pigments found in insects and other organisms, derived from pteridine and involved in various biological processes.
Usage: biochemistry; biology
Examples
- Pterins are responsible for the bright coloration in butterfly wings.
- The compound pterin plays a role in the metabolism of certain microorganisms.
- Scientists study pterins to understand pigmentation in insects.
- Pterins are synthesized from guanosine triphosphate in living cells.