Papain is a protease enzyme (EC 3.4.22.2) present in papaya which is useful in tenderizing meat and other proteins. Its utility is in breaking down the tough meat fibers and has been utilized for thousands of years in its native South America. It is sold as a component in powdered meat tenderizer available in most supermarkets. It is also sold as a dietary supplement to remedy indigestion. Papain, made into a paste, is also a home remedy treatment for jellyfish and possibly stingray wounds, breaking down the toxins in the venom. Proteases (proteinases, peptidases or proteolytic enzymes) are enzymes that break peptide bonds between amino acids of proteins. ... Ribbon diagram of the enzyme TIM. TIM is catalytically perfect, meaning its conversion rate is limited, or nearly limited to its substrate diffusion rate. ... EC numbers (Enzyme Commission numbers) are a numerical classification scheme for enzymes, based on the chemical reactions they catalyze. ... Binomial name Carica papaya L. The papaya, also known as mamao, tree melon, or pawpaw (not to be confused with the true pawpaw), is the fruit of the tree Carica papaya, in the genus Carica. ... A prescribed dietary supplement is intended to supply nutrients (usually vitamins or minerals) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a persons diet. ... Indigestion is a condition that is frequently caused by eating too fast, especially by eating high-fat foods quickly. ... A home remedy is a treatment or cure for a disease or other ailment that employs certain foods or other common household items. ... Orders Stauromedusae Coronatae Semaeostomeae Rhizostomae Jellyfish are marine invertebrates belonging to the Scyphozoan class, and in turn the phylum Cnidaria. ... Genera Dasyatis Himantura Pastinachus Pteroplatytrygon Taeniura Urogymnus See text for species. ... For a list of biologically injurious substances, including toxins and other materials, as well as their effects, see poison. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ...

Papain is used to dissociate cells in the first step of cell culture preparations. A 10 minute treatment of small tissue pieces (less than 1 mm cubed) will allow papain to begin breaking down of the extracellular matrix molecules holding the cells together. After 10 minutes, the tissue should be treated with a protease inhibitor solution to stop the protease action (if left untreated papain's activity will lead to complete lysis of the cells). The tissue must then be titrated (passed quickly up and down through a Pasteur pipette) in order to break up the pieces of tissue into a single cell suspension.. Epithelial cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green) Cell culture is the term applied when cells are grown in a synthetic environment. ...

Papain is usually produced as a crude, dried material by collecting the latex from the fruit of the papaya tree. The latex is collected after scoring the neck of the fruit whereupon it may either dry on the fruit or drip into a container. This latex is then further dried. It is now classified as a dried, crude material. A purification step is necessary to remove contaminating substances. This purification consists of the solubilization and extraction of the active papain enzyme system through a government registered process. This purified papain may be supplied as powder or as liquid.