ketone body

noun Biochemistry.

1. any of three compounds, acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, or acetone, that are intermediate in the metabolism of fatty acids and that are found in abnormal quantities in the blood and urine during certain pathological conditions, as diabetes mellitus.

noun

1. biochem any of three compounds (acetoacetic acid, 3-hydroxybutanoic acid, and acetone) produced when fatty acids are broken down in the liver to provide a source of energy. Excess ketone bodies are present in the blood and urine of people unable to use glucose as an energy source, as in diabetes and starvationAlso called: acetone body

n.

1. A ketone-containing substance, such as acetoacetic acid, that is an intermediate product of fatty acid metabolism, tends to accumulate in the blood, and is excreted in the urine of individuals affected by starvation or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.acetone body

1. A ketone-containing substance that is an intermediate product of the metabolism of fatty acids. Ketone bodies tend to accumulate in the blood and urine of individuals affected by starvation or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.