melanize

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

melanin +‎ -ize

Verb

melanize (third-person singular simple present melanizes, present participle melanizing, simple past and past participle melanized)

  1. (transitive) To convert into melanin, or to deposit melanin in.
    • 1999 May 21, Jules A. Hoffmann et al., “Phylogenetic Perspectives in Innate Immunity”, in Science‎, volume 284, number 5418, DOI:10.1126/science.284.5418.1313, pages 1313-1318:
      At the extreme, the mosquito does not permit survival and transmission of the parasite: in genetically selected refractory mosquito strains, the parasites may be lysed as they traverse the midgut, or may be encapsulated and melanized at the early oocyst stage.
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