| GCT | general care and treatment; germ-cell tumor; giant cell thyroiditis; giant cell tumor |
|---|---|
| PC | avoirdupois weight [Lat. pondus civile]; packed cells; paper chromatography; paracortex; parent cell... |
| RCC | radiological control center; rape crisis center; ratio of cost to charges; receptor-chemoeffector co... |
| SC | conditioned stimulus; sacrococcygeal; Sanitary Corps; scalenus [muscle]; scapula; Schwann cell; scia... |
| SCC | self-care center; sequential combination chemotherapy; services for crippled children; short-course ... |
| variable antigen | <immunology> Term usually applied to the surface antigens of those parasitic or pathogenic organisms that can alter their antigenic character to evade host immune responses. (See antigenic variation). (18 Nov 1997) |
|---|---|
| G antigen | An antigenic glycoprotein frequently associated with viral surfaces. Origin: Ger. Gebundenes, bound (05 Mar 2000) |
| major histocompatibility antigen | <immunology> A set of plasmalemmal glycoprotein antigens involved in rapid (e.g. 7 days in the mouse) graft rejection and other immune phenomena. The minor histocompatibility antigens are involved in much slower rejection phenomena. The major antigens show remarkable polymorphism and occur as Class I and Class II types in mammals, birds may have a Class III molecule as well. See: histocompatibility antigens, MHC restriction. (18 Nov 1997) |
| P antigen | <haematology, immunology> Antigenic determinant on the surface of human red blood cells to which the Donath Landsteiner antibody reacts. This antibody binds in the cold (a cold IgG), but elutes from red cells at 37쵣, is particularly associated with tertiary syphylis and its binding causes paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. (18 Nov 1997) |
| R antigen | Those that produce active haemolysins (O and S) which cause a zone of clear haemolysis on the blood agar medium in the area of the colony; beta-haemolytic streptococci are divided into groups (A to O) on the basis of cell wall C carbohydrate (see Lancefield classification); Group A (in the strains pathogenic for man) comprises more than 50 types (designated by Arabic numerals) determined by cell wall M protein, which seems to be associated closely with virulence and is produced chiefly by strains with matt or mucoid colonies, in contrast to nonvirulent, glossy colony-producing strains; other surface protein antigens such as R and T (T substance), and the nucleoprotein fraction (P substance) seem to be of less importance. The more than 20 extracellular substances elaborated by strains of beta-haemolytic streptococci include erythrogenic toxin (elaborated only by lysogenic strains), deoxyribonuclease (streptodornase), haemolysins (streptolysins O and S), hyaluronidase, and streptokinase. Synonym: haemolytic streptococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| M antigen | An antigen found in the cell of Streptococcus pyogenes; associated with virulence. See: beta-haemolytic streptococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| receptors, antigen | Molecules on the surface of b- and T-lymphocytes that recognise and combine with specific antigens. (12 Dec 1998) |
| receptors, very late antigen | Members of the integrin family appearing late after T-cell activation. They are a family of proteins initially identified at the surface of stimulated T-cells, but now identified on a variety of cell types. At least six vla antigens have been identified as heterodimeric adhesion receptors consisting of a single common beta-subunit and different alpha-subunits. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Gerbich antigen | glycophorin C |
| Vi antigen | Virulence antigen, an external capsular antigen of enterobacteria formerly thought to be related to increased virulence. (05 Mar 2000) |
| partial antigen | <immunology, molecular biology> Could be considered an isolated epitope: although a hapten (by definition) has an antibody directed against it, the hapten alone will not induce an immune response if injected into an animal, it must be conjugated to a carrier (usually a protein). The hapten constitutes a single antigenic determinant, perhaps the best known example is dinitro phenol (DNP) that can be conjugated to BSA and against which antiDNP antibodies are produced (antibodies to the BSA can be adsorbed out). Because the hapten is monovalent, immune complex formation will be blocked if the soluble hapten is present as well as the hapten carrier conjugate (assuming there is more than one hapten per carrier then an immune precipitate can be formed). Competitive inhibition by the soluble small molecule is sometimes referred to as haptenic inhibition and this term has carried over into lectin mediated haemagglutination where monosaccharides are added to try to block haemagglutination: the blocking sugar defines the specificity of the lectin. (18 Nov 1997) |
| viral antigen | Those antigens specified by the viral genome (often coat proteins) that can be detected by a specific immunological response. Often of diagnostic importance. (18 Nov 1997) |
| C carbohydrate antigen | An antigen found in the cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae. See: beta-haemolytic streptococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| CD antigen | <immunology> Differentiation antigens residing on human leukocytes. CD stands for cluster of differentiation, which refers to groups of monoclonal antibodies that show similiar reactivity with certain subpopulations of antigens. The subpopulations of antigens are also known by the same CD designation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Rhus toxicodendron antigen | An extract of fresh leaves of poison ivy, with 0.4% of procaine hydrochloride; used by intradermal injection to determine sensitiveness to the poison of Rhus toxicodendron. (05 Mar 2000) |