| 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) |
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| time constant | That part of a circuit that determines the time interval over which the rate of electrical events will be averaged; in pulmonary physiology, the factors determining rate of flow in the airways. (05 Mar 2000) |
| transformation constant | <physics, radiobiology> The fraction of the amount of a radionuclide that undergoes transition per unit time. Formally: Lamda=dP/dt Where dP is the probability of a given nucleus undergoing spontaneous nuclear transition in the time interval dt. (16 Dec 1997) |
| equilibrium constant | <chemistry> The ratio of the reverse and forward rate constants for a reaction of the type: A + B = AB at equilibrium the equilibrium constant (K) equals the product of the concentrations of reactants divided by the concentration of product and has dimensions of concentration. Kd = (concentration A.concentration B) / (concentration AB). The affinity constant (Ka) is the reciprocal of the equilibrium constant. Dimension: moles per litre. In general the concept of Kd is more readily understood than that of Ka, for example: in considering the conversion of A to AB by the binding of ligand B, the Kd = B when A = AB. Thus Kd is equal to the ligand concentration which produces half maximal conversion (response). (10 Jan 1998) |
| universal gas constant | <radiobiology> R = 8.314 x 10^7 ergs per degree C per mole. (09 Oct 1997) |
| flotation constant | Characteristic sedimentation behaviour of a lipoprotein fraction of plasma in a centrifugal field in a medium of appropriate density, achieved by adding a salt or D2O to the plasma. Synonym: negative S, Svedberg of flotation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| law of constant numbers in ovulation | The number of ova discharged at each ovulation is nearly constant for any given species. (05 Mar 2000) |