| cellular immunodeficiency with abnormal immunoglobulin synthesis | An ill-defined group of sporadic disorders of unknown cause, occurring in both males and females and associated with recurrent bacterial, fungal, protozoal, and viral infections; there is thymic hypoplasia with depressed cellular (T-lymphocyte) immunity combined with defective humoral (B-lymphocyte) immunity, although immunoglobulin levels may be normal. Synonym: Nezelof syndrome, Nezelof type of thymic alymphoplasia. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| Rho(D) immunoglobulin | rHo(D) immune globulin |
| chickenpox immunoglobulin | chickenpox immune globulin (human) |
| pertussis immunoglobulin | A sterile solution of globulin's derived from the plasma of adult human donors who have been immunised with pertussis vaccine; used both prophylactically and therapeutically. Synonym: pertussis immunoglobulin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| monoclonal immunoglobulin | A homogenous immunoglobulin resulting from the proliferation of a single clone of plasma cells and which, during electrophoresis of serum, appears as a narrow band or "spike"; it is characterised by heavy chains of a single class and subclass, and light chains of a single type. Synonym: M protein, monoclonal protein, paraprotein. (05 Mar 2000) |
| poliomyelitis immunoglobulin | poliomyelitis immune globulin (human) |
| secretory immunoglobulin | Usually IgA but may be IgM linked to a secretory component and found in mucous secretions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| secretory immunoglobulin A | A subclass of IgA that is found primarily in secretions such as tears and colostrum. This form of IgA is protected from proteolytic degradation by the presence of a secretory component. (05 Mar 2000) |
| selective immunoglobulin A deficiency | <immunology> An inherited disorder in which there is a markedly reduced or absent IgA, resulting in immature IgA-bearing B-cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| serum immunoglobulin electrophoresis | A test that detects and measures the various immunoglobulins in the blood. In the normal assay no monoclonal antibodies are detected. In multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia a single clone of lymphocytes can produce one type of immunoglobulin that is detected in the electrophoresis as monoclonal (made by one cell clone). (27 Sep 1997) |
| immunoglobulin | <immunology> A specific protein substance that is produced by plasma cells to aid in fighting infection. Some immunoglobulins (gamma globulin) take part in various immune responses of the body to bacteria or foreign substances (allergens, tumour or transplanted tissue). Examples include IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE. (30 Mar 1998) |
| immunoglobulin A | <immunology> Major class of immunoglobulin of external secretions in mammals, also found in serum and body fluids such as tears and saliva and in the respiratory, reproductive, urinary and gastrointestinal tracts. Immunoglobulin A protects the bodys mucosal surfaces from infection and in secretions, it is found as a dimer (400 kD) joined by a short J chain and linked to a secretory portion or transport piece. In serum found as a monomer (170 kD). Immunoglobulin A is the main mechanism for providing local immunity against infections in the gut or respiratory tract and may act by reducing the binding between an immunoglobulin A coated micro organism and a host epithelial cell. Present in human colostrum but not transferred across the placenta. Have heavy chains. (30 Mar 1998) |
| immunoglobulin allotypes | Hereditary serologic types based on antigenic differences in the light and heavy chains of immunoglobulins due to allelic genes in the gene loci coding the chains. The inv system applies to the kappa light chains, the gm system applies to the heavy chains of IgG. (12 Dec 1998) |
| immunoglobulin class switching | Gene rearrangement of the b-lymphocyte which results in a substitution in the type of heavy-chain constant region that is expressed. This allows the effector response to change while the antigen binding specificity (variable region) remains the same. The majority of class switching occurs by a DNA recombination event but it also can take place at the level of RNA processing. (12 Dec 1998) |
| immunoglobulin constant region | That region of the immunoglobulin (antibody) molecule that is invariable in its amino acid sequence within any class of immunoglobulins. It confers the biological specificity to the ig and is grossly species specific. It comprises the c-terminus half of the light chains and three quarters or more of the heavy chains, all of the fc fragment, and the c-terminus half of the fab fragment. (12 Dec 1998) |