| islet amyloid peptide | <hormone, protein> Peptide of 37 amino acids that selectively inhibits insulin stimulated glucose uptake in muscle. Structurally related to calcitonin gene-related peptide. (15 Oct 1997) |
|---|---|
| eosinophil chemotactic peptide | <protein> Tetrapeptides (of which two are identified: VGSE and AGSE) released by mast cells and that are said to both attract and activate eosinophils. (18 Nov 1997) |
| UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-peptide beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase | <enzyme> Responsible for the addition of o-linked n-acetylglucosamine to proteins Registry number: EC 2.4.1.- Synonym: udp-glcnac-peptide-glcnac-transferase, glcnac transferase (26 Jun 1999) |
| formyl peptide | <biochemistry> Informal term for small peptides with a formylated N terminal methionine and usually a hydrophobic amino acid at the carboxy terminal end (fMetLeuPhe is the most commonly used). These peptides stimulate the motor and secretory activities of leucocytes, particularly neutrophils and monocytes, that have a specific receptor (about 60 kD) of high affinity (Kd approximately 10exp 8M). Leucocytes show chemotaxis towards formyl peptides but the term chemotactic peptides understates the range of activities the molecules will trigger. Thought to be synthetic analogues of bacterial signal sequences though this is unproven. The leucocytes of many animals (e.g. Pig, cow, chicken) do not respond. (18 Nov 1997) |
| leader peptide | <molecular biology> In the regulation of gene expression for enzymes concerned with amino acid synthesis in prokaryotes, the leader sequence codes for the leader peptide that contains several residues of the amino acid being regulated. Transcription is closely linked to translation and if translation is retarded by limited supply of amino acyl tRNA for the specific amino acid, the mode of transcription of the leader sequence permits full transcription of the operon genes, otherwise complete transcription of the leader sequence prematurely terminates transcription of the operon. (18 Nov 1997) |
| lysergyl peptide synthetase | <enzyme> Multifunctional enzyme which forms non-cyclol d-lysergyl peptide lactams; consists of two polypeptide chains - lps 1 binds the 3 amino acids (ala, phe and pro) of the peptide nucleus and lps 2 binds d-lysergic acid Registry number: EC 6.3.2.- Synonym: d-lysergylpeptide synthetase (26 Jun 1999) |
| affinity antibody | The measure of the interaction between molecules such as a receptor and its ligand. This interaction is reversible. (05 Mar 2000) |
| agglutinating antibody | 1. An antibody that causes clumping or agglutination of the bacteria or other cells which either stimulated the formation of the agglutinin, or contain immunologically similar, reactive antigen. Synonym: agglutinating antibody, immune agglutinin. 2. A substance, other than a specific agglutinating antibody, that causes organic particles to agglutinate, commonly qualified, e.g., plant agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anaphylactic 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) |
| anti-basement membrane antibody | Autoantibodies to renal glomerular basement membrane antigens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antibody | An immunoglobulin molecule that has a specific amino acid sequence by virtue of which it interacts only with the antigen that induced its synthesis in cells of the lymphoid series (especially plasma cells) or with antigen closely related to it. Antibodies are classified according to their ode of action as agglutinins, bacteriolysins, haemolysins, opsonins, precipitins, etc. (18 Nov 1997) |
| antibody affinity | A measure of the binding strength between antibody and a simple hapten or antigen determinant. It depends on the closeness of stereochemical fit between antibody combining sites and antigen determinants, on the size of the area of contact between them, and on the distribution of charged and hydrophobic groups. It includes the concept of "avidity," which refers to the strength of the antigen-antibody bond after formation of reversible complexes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antibody aldolase | <enzyme> Prepared by reactive immuninization to catalyze a wide variety of aldol reactions and decarboxylations Registry number: EC 4.1.2.- Synonym: fab 33f12, aldolase catalytic antibody (26 Jun 1999) |
| antibody-coated bacteria test, urinary | Fluorescent antibody technique for visualizing antibody-bacteria complexes in urine. The presence or absence of antibody-coated bacteria in urine correlates with localization of urinary tract infection in the kidney or bladder, respectively. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antibody combining site | <immunology> In immune network theory, an idiotope, an antigenic site of an antibody that is responsible for that antibody binding to an antigenic determinant (epitope). Also used of the site on a ligand molecule to which a cell surface receptor binds. (18 Nov 1997) |