| polyclonal antibody | An antibody produced by several clones of B lymphocytes as would be the case in a whole animal. Usually refers to antibodies raised in immunised animals, whereas a monoclonal antibody is the product of a single clone of B lymphocytes, usually maintained in vitro. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| cross-reacting antibody | <immunology> Antibody specific for group antigens, i.e., those with identical functional groups, antibody for antigens that have functional groups of closely similar, but not identical, chemical structure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cross-reactive antibody | <haematology, immunology> Antibodies which don't respond to any one specific antigen, but will respond to a number of them. These antibodies can be responsible for false positive results in antigen-antibody tests. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Prausnitz-Kustner antibody | One of the IgE class of antibody's first demonstrated by Prausnitz and Kustner by passive transfer to the skin. See: homocytotropic antibody. Synonym: atopic reagin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| precipitating antibody | <protein> Any antibody that forms a precipitating complex (a precipitin line) with an appropriate multivalent antigen. The term is now outmoded. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cytophilic antibody | Antibody that has an affinity for certain kinds of cells, in addition to and unrelated to its specific affinity for the antigen that induced it, because of the properties of the Fc portion of the heavy chain. See: heterocytotropic antibody, homocytotropic antibody, cytotropic antibody test. Synonym: anaphylactic antibody, cytophilic antibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cytotropic antibody | Antibody that has an affinity for certain kinds of cells, in addition to and unrelated to its specific affinity for the antigen that induced it, because of the properties of the Fc portion of the heavy chain. See: heterocytotropic antibody, homocytotropic antibody, cytotropic antibody test. Synonym: anaphylactic antibody, cytophilic antibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cytotropic antibody test | A rosette test for macrophage cytotropic antibody: monolayers of macrophages are exposed first to antibody cytotropic for macrophages, then to the antigen (for which the antibody is specific), and indicator sheep erythrocytes; if the antibody is specific for sheep erythrocytes, the latter will form a rosette around the macrophages directly, but if not, and the antigen is soluble, the antigen must be coupled to the sheep erythrocytes by an agent such as bis-diazotised benzidine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary antibody response | <immunology> Antibodies made upon first exposure to an antigen, mostly of the class IgM. (05 Mar 1998) |
| heterocytotropic antibody | A cytotropic antibody (chiefly of the IgG class) similar in activity to homocytotropic antibody, but having an affinity for cells of a different species rather than for cells of the same or a closely related species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| heterogenetic antibody | An antibody that reacts to a heterogenetic antigen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| heterophil antibody | A heterogenetic antibody specific for the Forssman group of heterogenetic antigens. Synonym: heterophil antibody, heterophile antibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
| heterophile antibody | <immunology> An antibody raised against an antigen from one species that also reacts against antigens from other species. Also used of Forssman type systems where antibody against antigens from a variety of species is present without immunisation. (18 Nov 1997) |
| heterospecific antibody | <immunology> Artificially produced antibody in which the two antigen binding sites are for different antigens. (18 Nov 1997) |
| secondary antibody deficiency | Immunodeficiency in which there is no evident defect in the lymphoid tissues, but rather hypercatabolism or loss of immunoglobulins such as occurs in familial idiopathic hypercatabolic hypoproteinaemia or in defects associated with the nephrotic syndrome. Synonym: secondary agammaglobulinaemia, secondary antibody deficiency, secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |