menten

Menten is a surname of Germanic origin that appears in various fields, most prominently in science and medicine. The name is associated with Maud Menten, a Canadian physician and biochemist whose collaboration with Leonor Michaelis helped establish the study of enzyme kinetics. Today, the term Menten is closely linked to the Michaelis–Menten framework in biochemistry.

Maud Menten (1879–1960) and Michaelis developed the Michaelis–Menten mechanism and derived an equation that bears their names. The Michaelis–Menten equation describes the rate of an enzymatic reaction as a function of substrate concentration: v = Vmax [S] / (Km + [S]). It introduces key parameters, Vmax, the maximum rate, and Km, the substrate concentration at half-maximal velocity, and remains foundational in biochemistry, pharmacology, and related disciplines. The model is used to characterize enzyme activity, compare enzymes, and analyze the effects of inhibitors, although real biological systems may exhibit deviations from the ideal assumptions behind the equation.

In surname usage, Menten occurrences are found in multiple countries, typically reflecting Germanic or Dutch roots. The most enduring association in scientific literature is with Maud Menten and the Michaelis–Menten framework, which continues to influence enzyme kinetics and related research.

See also: Michaelis–Menten kinetics.