| cytotoxic cell | Cells of the immune system that inhibit or help to terminate an immune response, e.g., suppressor macrophages and suppressor T-cells. Synonym: cytotoxic cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| cytotoxic T-cell | <haematology, immunology> Subset of T lymphocytes (mostly CD8) responsible for lysing target cells and for killing virus infected cells (in the context of Class I histocompatibility antigens). (18 Nov 1997) |
| suppressor cell | <immunology> Lymphocyte class of cells suppressing T or B antigen dependent responses. (18 Nov 1997) |
| suppressor T-cell | <immunology> See T-cells. (18 Nov 1997) |
| T suppressor cell | <haematology, immunology> Set of T lymphocytes (usually CD8) specifically involved in suppressing B-cell differentiation into antibody secreting cells. There may also be T suppresors of T-cell functions. (18 Nov 1997) |
| t-suppressor cell | A type of immune cells, also called t8 cells, these cells close down the immune response after it has destroyed invading organisms. T8 cells are sensitive to high concentrations of circulating lymphokine hormones and release their own lymphokines after an immune response has achieved its goal, signalling all other participants to cease their attack. Some memory B-cells remain to ward off a repeat attack by the invading organism. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antireticular cytotoxic serum | An antiserum specific for cells of the reticuloendothelial system. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cytotoxic | <pharmacology> Chemicals that are directly toxic to cells, preventing their reproduction or growth. Cytotoxic agents can, as a side effect, damage healthy, noncancerous tissues or organs which have a high proportion of actively dividing cells, for example, bone marrow, hair follicles. These side effects limit the amount and frequency of drug administration. (16 Dec 1997) |
| cytotoxic drugs | <pharmacology> Anti-cancer drugs which act by killing or preventing the division of cells. See: chemotherapy. (13 Nov 1997) |
| cytotoxic reaction | An immunologic (allergic) reaction in which noncytotropic IgG or IgM antibody combines with specific antigen on cell surfaces; the resulting complex initiates the activation of complement which causes cell lysis or other damage, or which, in the absence of complement, may lead to phagocytosis or may enhance T lymphocyte involvement. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cytotoxic t-lymphocyte | A type of CD8 or, less often, CD4 lymphocyte that kills diseased cells infected by a specific virus or other intracellular microbe. CTLs interact with MHC class I receptors (see Major Histocompatibility Complex). On infected cells and have the prime role in cellmediated immunity (see). Cytovene: See: Ganciclovir. (09 Oct 1997) |
| cytotoxic T lymphocyte-specific serine protease | <enzyme> Structural sequence given in first source Registry number: EC 3.4.21.- Synonym: cytotoxic t lymphocyte-specific serine protease ccp I, cytotoxic t lymphocyte specific serine protease ccp II, mast cell protease type II (26 Jun 1999) |
| T cytotoxic cells | Lymphocyte-like effector cells which mediate antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity. They kill antibody-coated target cells which they bind with their fc receptors. (12 Dec 1998) |
| T-lymphocytes, cytotoxic | Immunised T-lymphocytes which can directly destroy appropriate target cells. These cytotoxic lymphocytes may be generated in vitro in mixed lymphocyte cultures (mlc), in vivo during a graft-versus-host (gvh) reaction, or after immunization with an allograft, tumour cell or virally transformed or chemically modified target cell. The lytic phenomenon is sometimes referred to as cell-mediated lympholysis (cml). These cells are distinct from natural killer cells (killer cells, natural) and from killer cells mediating antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| amber suppressor | <molecular biology> A tRNA molecule which suppresses amber mutations because it has mutated to recognise the amber codon UAG (which normally signals that the translation of mRNA into an amino acid chain should stop) as a signal for inserting whatever amino acid it carries into the chain. As a result, it can prevent the amino acid chain from ending before it is completed. (09 Oct 1997) |