| type II interferon | <chemical> The major interferon produced by mitogenically or antigenically stimulated lymphocytes. It is structurally different from type I interferon (interferon type I) and its major activity is immunoregulation. It has been implicated in the expression of class II histocompatibility antigens in cells that do not normally produce them, leading to autoimmune disease. Pharmacological action: antineoplastic agent, antiviral agents. Chemical name: Interferon-gamma (human lymphocyte protein moiety reduced) (12 Dec 1998) |
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| type I interferon | <chemical> Interferon secreted by leukocytes, fibroblasts, or lymphoblasts in response to viruses or interferon inducers other than mitogens, antigens, or allo-antigens. They include alpha- and beta-interferons (interferon-alpha and interferon-beta). Pharmacological action: antineoplastic agent, antiviral agents. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fibroblast interferon | <cytokine> One of the type I interferons produced by fibroblasts in response to stimulation by live or inactivated virus or by double-stranded RNA. It is a cytokine with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulating activity. Synonym: fibroblast interferon. Pharmacological action: adjuvants, immunologic, antineoplastic agent, antiviral agents. Chemical name: Interferon-alphaB (human leukocyte protein moiety reduced) (12 Dec 1998) |
| acidophilic leukocyte | A polymorphonuclear leukocyte characterised by many large or prominent, refractile, cytoplasmic granules that are fairly uniform in size and bright yellow-red or orange when treated with Wright's or similar stains; the nuclei are usually larger than those of neutrophils, do not stain as deeply, and characteristically have two lobes (a third lobe is sometimes interposed on the connecting strand of chromatin); these leukocyte's are motile phagocytes with distinctive antiparasitic functions. Synonym: acidophilic leukocyte, eosinocyte, eosinophil, eosinophile, oxyphil, oxyphile, oxyphilic leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| agranular leukocyte | <haematology> A general, non-specific term frequently used with reference to lymphocytes, monocytes, and plasma cells; although the cytoplasm of a lymphocyte or monocyte contains tiny granules, it is nongranular in comparison with that of a neutrophil, basophil, or eosinophil. See: leukocyte. Synonym: agranular leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| automated differential leukocyte counter | An instrument using digital imaging or cytochemical techniques to differentiate leukocytes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic leukocyte | A polymorphonuclear leukocyte characterised by many large, coarse, metachromatic granules (dark purple or blue-black when treated with Wright's or similar stains) that usually fill the cytoplasm and may almost mask the nucleus; these leukocyte's are unique in that they usually do not occur in increased numbers as the result of acute infectious disease, and their phagocytic qualities are probably not significant; the granules, which contain heparin and histamine, may degranulate in response to hypersensitivity reactions and can be of significance in general inflammation. Synonym: basocyte, basophilocyte, mast leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| receptors, leukocyte-adhesion | Family of proteins associated with the capacity of leukocytes, including lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils, to adhere to each other and to certain substrata, e.g., the c3bi component of complement. Members of this family are the lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (lfa-1), the macrophage-1 antigen (mac-1), and the antigen p150,95 or p150,95 leukocyte adhesion protein. They all share a common beta-subunit which is the CD18 antigen. All three of the above antigens are absent in inherited leukocyte-adhesion deficiency syndrome, which is characterised by recurrent bacterial infections, impaired pus formation, and wound healing as well as abnormalities in a wide spectrum of adherence-dependent functions of granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphoid cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| mast leukocyte | A polymorphonuclear leukocyte characterised by many large, coarse, metachromatic granules (dark purple or blue-black when treated with Wright's or similar stains) that usually fill the cytoplasm and may almost mask the nucleus; these leukocyte's are unique in that they usually do not occur in increased numbers as the result of acute infectious disease, and their phagocytic qualities are probably not significant; the granules, which contain heparin and histamine, may degranulate in response to hypersensitivity reactions and can be of significance in general inflammation. Synonym: basocyte, basophilocyte, mast leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| globular leukocyte | A type of wandering cell with a small, round nucleus found in the epithelium and lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa of many animals; its cytoplasm contains large eosinophilic globules or droplets. (05 Mar 2000) |
| granular leukocyte | Any one of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte's, especially a neutrophilic leukocyte. See: granulocyte, basophilic leukocyte, eosinophilic leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chemotaxis, leukocyte | The movement of leukocytes in response to a chemical concentration gradient or to products formed in an immunologic reaction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| motile leukocyte | Any leukocyte that manifests active ameboid movement, especially a mature granulocytic leukocyte (eosinophils are less motile than neutrophils or basophils); monocytes manifest a slow, but persistent, wavelike movement. (05 Mar 2000) |
| multinuclear leukocyte | Small, actively motile white blood cells containing many lysosomes and specialising in phagocytosis. (09 Oct 1997) |
| polymorphonuclear leukocyte | Small, actively motile white blood cells containing many lysosomes and specialising in phagocytosis. (09 Oct 1997) |