| LU | left upper [limb]; loudness unit; Lupron; lytic unit |
|---|---|
| MICU | medical intensive care unit; mobile intensive care unit |
| mIU | milli-international unit; one-thousandth of an international unit |
| MRU | mass radiography unit; minimal reproductive unit |
| PFU | plaque-forming unit; pock-forming unit |
| Vi antigen | Virulence antigen, an external capsular antigen of enterobacteria formerly thought to be related to increased virulence. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| partial antigen | <immunology, molecular biology> Could be considered an isolated epitope: although a hapten (by definition) has an antibody directed against it, the hapten alone will not induce an immune response if injected into an animal, it must be conjugated to a carrier (usually a protein). The hapten constitutes a single antigenic determinant, perhaps the best known example is dinitro phenol (DNP) that can be conjugated to BSA and against which antiDNP antibodies are produced (antibodies to the BSA can be adsorbed out). Because the hapten is monovalent, immune complex formation will be blocked if the soluble hapten is present as well as the hapten carrier conjugate (assuming there is more than one hapten per carrier then an immune precipitate can be formed). Competitive inhibition by the soluble small molecule is sometimes referred to as haptenic inhibition and this term has carried over into lectin mediated haemagglutination where monosaccharides are added to try to block haemagglutination: the blocking sugar defines the specificity of the lectin. (18 Nov 1997) |
| viral antigen | Those antigens specified by the viral genome (often coat proteins) that can be detected by a specific immunological response. Often of diagnostic importance. (18 Nov 1997) |
| C carbohydrate antigen | An antigen found in the cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae. See: beta-haemolytic streptococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| CD antigen | <immunology> Differentiation antigens residing on human leukocytes. CD stands for cluster of differentiation, which refers to groups of monoclonal antibodies that show similiar reactivity with certain subpopulations of antigens. The subpopulations of antigens are also known by the same CD designation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Rhus toxicodendron antigen | An extract of fresh leaves of poison ivy, with 0.4% of procaine hydrochloride; used by intradermal injection to determine sensitiveness to the poison of Rhus toxicodendron. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rhus venenata antigen | An extract of fresh leaves of poison sumac; used to determine sensitiveness to the plant or to relieve the dermatitis caused by contact with its leaves. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cholesterinised antigen | Cardiolipin to which cholesterol has been added. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rotavirus antigen test | <investigation, microbiology> A test which detects the presence of rotavirus in the stool. This virus is a common cause of childhood gastroenteritis. (17 Dec 1997) |
| Mitsuda antigen | An autoclaved suspension of human tissue naturally infected with Mycobacterium leprae; used to produce the Mitsuda reaction in a lepromin test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| common antigen | Cross reacting antigen (epitope), a common antigen that occurs in 2 or more different molecules/organisms. Synonym: heterogenic enterobacterial antigen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| complete antigen | Any antigen capable of stimulating the formation of antibody with which it reacts in vivo or in vitro, as distinguished from incomplete antigen (hapten). (05 Mar 2000) |
| conjugated antigen | A hapten that may cause the production of antibodies when it has been covalently linked to protein. Synonym: conjugated antigen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mumps skin test antigen | A sterile suspension of killed mumps virus in isotonic sodium chloride solution, used to determine susceptibility to mumps or to confirm previous exposure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pollen antigen | An extract of the antigenic protein from the pollen of plants; i.e., pollen allergen, used in the diagnosis and prevention of hay fever. (05 Mar 2000) |