| BC/BS | Blue Cross/Blue Shield [plan] |
|---|---|
| BCBSA | Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association |
| BCP | basic calcium phosphate; birth control pill; blue cone pigment; Blue Cross Plan; bromcresol purple |
| BIP | bacterial intravenous protein; biparietal; bismuth iodoform paraffin; Blue Cross interim payment; br... |
| BRCS | British Red Cross Society |
| Wassermann antibody | Antibody, evoked during syphilitic infections, that combines with cardiolipin in the presence of lecithin and cholesterol; it is distinct from the treponema-immobilizing antibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| cold antibody | See: cold agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold-reactive antibody | See: cold agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| monoclonal antibody | <immunology, molecular biology> A substance, usually a protein, which can be synthsised in the laboratory in pure form by a single clone (population) of cells. These antibodies can be made in large quantities and have a specific affinity for certain target molecules called antigens which can be found on the surface of cells and those that are malignant. Monoclonal antibodies are currently being investigated as a possible form of cancer treatment although their benefit has not be fully proven. (16 Dec 1997) |
| complement-fixing antibody | Antibody that combines with and sensitises antigen leading to the activation of complement, which may result in cell lysis. Synonym: CF antibody, sensitizing substance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| complete antibody | An antibody which causes agglutination of erythrocytes when they are suspended either in saline or in a protein medium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polyclonal antibody | An antibody produced by several clones of B lymphocytes as would be the case in a whole animal. Usually refers to antibodies raised in immunised animals, whereas a monoclonal antibody is the product of a single clone of B lymphocytes, usually maintained in vitro. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Prausnitz-Kustner antibody | One of the IgE class of antibody's first demonstrated by Prausnitz and Kustner by passive transfer to the skin. See: homocytotropic antibody. Synonym: atopic reagin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| precipitating antibody | <protein> Any antibody that forms a precipitating complex (a precipitin line) with an appropriate multivalent antigen. The term is now outmoded. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cytophilic 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) |
| cytotropic 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) |
| cytotropic antibody test | A rosette test for macrophage cytotropic antibody: monolayers of macrophages are exposed first to antibody cytotropic for macrophages, then to the antigen (for which the antibody is specific), and indicator sheep erythrocytes; if the antibody is specific for sheep erythrocytes, the latter will form a rosette around the macrophages directly, but if not, and the antigen is soluble, the antigen must be coupled to the sheep erythrocytes by an agent such as bis-diazotised benzidine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary antibody response | <immunology> Antibodies made upon first exposure to an antigen, mostly of the class IgM. (05 Mar 1998) |
| heterocytotropic antibody | A cytotropic antibody (chiefly of the IgG class) similar in activity to homocytotropic antibody, but having an affinity for cells of a different species rather than for cells of the same or a closely related species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| heterogenetic antibody | An antibody that reacts to a heterogenetic antigen. (05 Mar 2000) |