cofactor vs. coenzyme

cofactor vs. coenzyme: 's the difference?

A cofactor is a substance that’s associated with an enzyme and allows it to function, often by changing its shape or participating in the biochemical reactions that the enzyme produces. A coenzyme is a type of cofactor that provides the transfer site for such biochemical reactions.

cofactor

noun

  1. Biochemistry. any of various organic or inorganic substances necessary to the function of an enzyme.
  2. Mathematics.
    1. a prefactor or postfactor.
    2. the product of the minor of a given element of a matrix times −1 raised to the power of the sum of the indices of the row and column crossed out in forming the minor.

coenzyme

noun

Biochemistry.
  1. a molecule that provides the transfer site for biochemical reactions catalyzed by an enzyme.