n. pl. locÂ·ules or locÂ·uÂ·li (-lÄ«â²). A small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an animal or plant, as any of the cavities within a plant ovary. [Latin.
Competitive inhibition is a form of enzyme inhibition where binding of the inhibitor to the active site on the enzyme prevents binding of the substrate and vice versa. Most competitive inhibitors function by binding reversibly to the active site of the enzyme.
Various compounds can reduce the activity of enzymes. They may act in a variety of different ways, and indeed may be reversible or irreversible inhibitors of the enzyme. On this page there are notes about: 1  Competitive inhibition. 2  Non-competitive inhibition. 3  Uncompetitive inhibition. 4  The choice of a competitive or non-competitive inhibitor as a drug. 5  Ki, the inhibitor constant.