Antibody
Antibody: An immunoglobulin, a specialized immune protein, produced because of the introduction of an antigen into the body, and which possesses the remarkable ability to combine with the very antigen that triggered its production.
The production of antibodies is a major function of the immune system and is carried out by a type of white blood cell called a B cell (B lymphocyte). Antibodies can be triggered by and directed at foreign proteins, microorganisms, or toxins. Some antibodies are autoantibodies and home in against our own tissues.
The term “antibody” dates to 1901. Prior to that time, an “antibody” referred to any of a host of different substances that served as “bodies” (foot soldiers) in the fight against infection and its ill effects.
Read Also:
- Antibody cross reactivity
Antibody cross reactivity: The ability of an antibody to react with similar antigenic sites on different proteins.
- Antibody, antinuclear
Antibody, antinuclear: An unusual antibody that is directed against structures within the nucleus of the cell. Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are found in patients whose immune system is predisposed to cause inflammation against their own body tissues. Antibodies that are directed against one’s own tissues are referred to as autoantibodies. The propensity for the immune system […]
- Antibody, antithyroglobulin
Antibody, antithyroglobulin: An antibody directed against thyroglobulin which is a key protein in the thyroid gland essential to the production of thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine). Antithyroglobulin antibodies can damage the thyroid gland and affect its function. Testing for antithyroglobulin antibodies in the blood is useful in the diagnosis of some thyroid and other disorders. […]
- Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity
Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity: An immune response in which antibody, by coating target cells, makes them vulnerable to attack by immune cells. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity is commonly abbreviated ADCC.
- Anticholinergic
Anticholinergic: Opposing the actions of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Anticholinergic drugs inhibit the transmission of parasympathetic nerve impulses, thereby reducing spasms of smooth muscles (for example, muscles in the bladder). Side effects of anticholinergic medications include dry mouth and related dental problems, blurred vision, tendency toward overheating (hyperpyrexia), and in some cases, dementia-like symptoms.