An enzyme that cleaves terminal acetylneuraminic residues from oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, or glycolipids; present on the surface antigen in myxoviruses; used in histochemistry to selectively remove sialomucins, as from bronchial mucous glands and the small intestine; a deficiency of this enzyme will result in sialidosis. SYN: neuraminidase.
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si·al·i·dase (si-alґĭ-dās) neuraminidase.Medical dictionary. 2011.