Global Regression Using the Explicit Solution of Michaelis‐Menten Kinetics Employing Lambert's W Function: High Robustness of Parameter Estimates

Abstract Michaelis and Menten devised their model for enzyme kinetics in 1913. Various linearization schemes such as the Lineweaver‐Burk approximation have become popular. An explicit solution using the Lambert W function has been presented but remains widely unknown among bioscientists. By computer simulation, we studied the effects of two sources of measurement error on the estimates of the system parameters K M and v max obtained by the explicit as well as by the implicit solutions as well as by popular approximations. Global regression using the explicit solution exhibits the highest robustness of parameter estimates against measurement error, compared with all other evaluation techniques. We conclude that global regression using the explicit solution of the Michaelis Menten equation provides superior resulting estimates for K M and v max , even in case of considerable experimental error.