| insulin-like growth-factor-binding proteins | A family of soluble proteins that bind insulin-like growth factors and modulate their biological actions at the cellular level. (int j gynaecol obstet 1992;39(1):3-9) (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| iron-binding capacity | The capacity of iron-binding protein in serum (transferrin) to bind serum iron. (05 Mar 2000) |
| testosterone-oestrogen-binding globulin | A glycoprotein migrating as a beta-globulin. Its molecular weight, 52,000 or 95,000-115,000, indicates that it exists as a dimer. The protein binds testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol in the plasma. Changes in its concentration significantly affect the ratio of unbound (biologically active) testosterone to estradiol in plasma. (12 Dec 1998) |
| thyroid binding globulin | <protein> Thyroid binding globulin (TBG) is a plasma protein which binds the majority of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. Bound thyroid hormone is inactive, only the unbound fraction (0.3%) is considered active. Birth control pills and pregnancy can lead to increased TBG levels in the plasma. Androgens can decrease TBG levels in the plasma. (27 Sep 1997) |
| thyroxine-binding globulin | An alpha-globulin of blood with a strong binding affinity for thyroxine; triiodothyronine is bound to it much less firmly; a deficiency or excess of this protein may occur as a rare benign X-linked disorder. Synonym: thyroxine-binding protein. (05 Mar 2000) |
| thyroxine-binding proteins | A group of proteins that includes thyroxine-binding globulin, a glycoprotein that serves as the major and specific carrier of thyroxine in plasma, accounting for 70-75% of the bound thyroxine; thyroxine-binding prealbumin, an albumin that serves as the secondary carrier, accounting for between 20 and 25% of the bound thyroxine; and serum albumin, which accounts for the remaining bound thyroxine. (12 Dec 1998) |
| total iron binding capacity | <biochemistry, haematology> A test that measures indirectly the transferrin level in the bloodstream. Transferrin is a protein that carries iron in the body. Normal values are 240 to 450 mcg/dl. This test is used to evaluate anaemia. Greater than normal total iron binding capacity can be seen in: iron deficiency anaemia, late pregnancy and polycythaemia vera. Lower than normal total iron binding capacity can be seen in cirrhosis, sickle cell anaemia, hypoproteinaemia, pernicious anaemia and haemolytic anaemia. The use of birth control pills can lead to increased total iron binding capacity measurements. Acronym: TIBC (12 Jan 1998) |
| fatty acid binding proteins | <biochemistry> Group of small cytosolic proteins that bind fatty acids or other organic solutes. (18 Nov 1997) |
| zero time-binding DNA | DNA that has become the duplex form at the start of a reassociation process. Acronym: DNA (05 Mar 2000) |
| ligand binding site | The site on a protein's surface that binds a ligand; equivalent to the active site if the ligand is the substrate of an enzyme. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antihemophilic plasma | Human plasma in which the labile antihemophilic globulin component, present in fresh plasma, has been preserved; it is used to temporarily relieve dysfunction of the haemostatic mechanism in haemophilia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apical plasma membrane | <cell biology> The term used for the cell membrane on the apical (inner or upper) surface of transporting epithelial cells. This region of the cell membrane is separated, in vertebrates, from the baso lateral membrane by a ring of tight junctions that prevents free mixing of membrane proteins from these two domains. (18 Nov 1997) |
| basolateral plasma membrane | <cell biology> The plasma membrane of epithelial cells that is adjacent to the basal lamina or the adjoining cells of the sheet. Differs both in protein and phospholipid composition from the apical plasma membrane from which it is isolated by tight junctions (zonula occludentes). (18 Nov 1997) |
| beam-plasma reaction | <radiobiology> Fusion reaction which occurs from the collision of a fast beam ion with a thermal plasma ion. (09 Oct 1997) |
| bean-shaped plasma | <radiobiology> A toroidal plasma indented on the inboard side (the side with the donut hole), that results in additional stability to ballooning modes. Moderate indentation may provide access to the second-stability region (high beta). (13 Nov 1997) |