| blocking antibody | An antibody used in a reaction to prevent some other reaction taking place, for example one antibody competing with another for a cell surface receptor. See: desensitisation. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| reaginic antibody | <immunology> A type of antibody which is able to attach itself to the surfaces of cells without needing specific combining sites. A homocytotropic antibody will only bind to cells which are from the same species as itself. (09 Oct 1997) |
| maternal antibody | Any antibody transferred from a mammalian mother transplacentally into the foetus. See under immunoglobulin for details of the classes of Ig that are transferred to the foetus. (18 Nov 1997) |
| catalytic antibody | <chemistry> Antibody raised against a transition state analogue (e.g. A phosphate analogue of a carboxylic acid ester transition state) that can then catalyse the analogous chemical reaction, though not as effectively as a true enzyme. (16 Mar 1998) |
| Vi antibody | A form of antibody that agglutinates highly virulent strains of Salmonella typhi, i.e., cells with Vi antigen; such bacteria are not agglutinable with O antiserum until the Vi antigen is destroyed. See: Vi antigen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cell-bound antibody | A term used for antibody on the surface of cells that may be bound either through antigen combining sites or other sites such as the Fc region. (05 Mar 2000) |
| CF 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) |
| chimeric antibody | <immunology> An antibody that contains polypeptides from different species. (05 Jan 1998) |
| chimeric/humanised antibody | <immunology> Genetically engineered combination of a human and mouse antibody. Because a monoclonal antibody is always made with mice cells, it causes an immune response when injected into humans. By replacing the constant regions of a mouse antibody with those of a human antibody, an antibody that binds to an antigen like the original monoclonal antibody, but which is recognised by the human immune system like a human protein, can be manufactured. Alternatively, only those amino acids directly involved in antigen binding are transferred from the mouse antibody into the framework of the human antibody, with a similar result. (05 Jan 1998) |
| microsomal antibody | This special serologic test is used to measure thyroid anti-microsomal antibody in the bloodstream. This test can be performed from a simple venipuncture specimen. The anti-microsomal antibody or microsomal antibody test is used to diagnose conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and other autoimmune disorders. (27 Sep 1997) |
| warm antibody | <haematology, immunology> most IgG antibodies react better at 37쵣 than at lower temperatures, especially against red cell antigens. These are the warm antibodies as contrasted with cold agglutinins, especially IgM, that agglutinate below 28쵣. (18 Nov 1997) |
| 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) |