| leukin | A thermostable bactericidal substance extracted from leukocytes. Synonym: leucin. Origin: Leukocyte + -in (05 Mar 2000) |
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| leuko- | <prefix> Prefix meaning white. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukoagglutinin | An antibody that agglutinates white blood cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukobilin | Synonym: white bile. Origin: Leuko-+ L. Bilis, bile (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukoblast | An immature white blood cell that is transitional between the lymphoidocyte (or the myeloblast of Naegeli and Downey) and the promyelocyte; the cytoplasm is polychromatophilic or slightly acidophilic and, as compared with the lymphoidocyte, the nuclear network of chromatin is thicker and the nucleoli less distinct. Synonym: proleukocyte. Origin: Leuko-+ G. Blastos, germ (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukoblastosis | A general term for the abnormal proliferation of leukocytes, especially that occurring in myelocytic and lymphocytic leukaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukochloroma | <tumour> Synonym: myelocytomatosis. Origin: Leuko-+ G. Chloros, green, + -oma, tumour (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocidin | A heat-labile substance that is elaborated by many strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and pneumococci and manifests a destructive action on leukocytes, with or without lysis of the cells. Origin: Leukocyte + L. Caedo, to kill (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocidins | Substances that are toxic to leukocytes. Specifically exotoxins produced by some pathogenic staphylococci and streptococci that destroy leukocytes by lysis of the cytoplasmic granules and are partially responsible for the pathogenicity of the organisms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leukocoria | Reflection from a white mass within the eye giving the appearance of a white pupil. Synonym: leukokoria, white pupillary reflex. Origin: Leuko-white, + G. Kore, pupil (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocytactic | Pertaining to, characterised by, or causing leukocytotaxia. Synonym: leukocytactic, leukotactic. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocytal | Pertaining to or characterised by leukocytes. Synonym: leukocytal. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocytaxia | 1. The active ameboid movement of leukocytes, especially the neutrophilic granulocytes, either toward (positive leukocytotaxia) or away from (negative leukocytotaxia) certain microorganisms as well as various substances frequently formed in inflamed tissue. 2. The property of attracting or repelling leukocytes. Synonym: leukocytaxia, leukocytaxis, leukotaxia, leukotaxis. Origin: Leukocyte + G. Taxis, arrangement (05 Mar 2000) |
| leukocyte | <haematology> White corpuscles in the blood. They are spherical, colourless and nucleated masses involved with host defenses. Normal white blood cell counts are variable with age and sex. Normal adult range is 4, 500 to 11,000 cells per cubic millimetre of blood. Slightly higher counts are seen in children. Elevated counts can be seen in cases of inflammation and infection. See: leucocytes, basophils, coelomocytes, eosinophils, haemocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes. Acronym: WBC (13 Nov 1997) |
| leukocyte adherence assay test | A test to detect the ability of leukocytes to adhere to bacteria, performed in vitro using nylon fibres to measure adherence. (05 Mar 2000) |