[LAB] glossary of terms

Question 1

A laboratory technique that involves the removal of antibodies by the use of a specific antigen (i.e., red blood cell surface antigen)

Answer 1

Absorption

Question 2

The proximity or closeness of a value to the true value

Answer 2

Accuracy

Question 3

Incurred due to external factors and is not inherited

Answer 3

Acquired

Question 4

Normal serum constituents that increase or decrease in the presence of an infection, injury, or trauma to tissues; associated with inflammatory reactions

Answer 4

Acute-phase proteins

Question 5

A substance added to vaccines to potentiate or enhance the immune response of the recipient; examples include alum and Freund’s _____

Answer 5

Adjuvant

Question 6

The key enzyme in the glycolytic cycle of Plasmodium parasite

Answer 6

Aldolase

Question 7

A process of attachment of one substance to the surface of another; attachment of an antibody to a specific antigen receptor on a cell surface

Answer 7

Adsorption

Question 8

Binding strength between an antigenic determinant (epitope) and its complementary site (paratope) in the Fab region of the antibody

Answer 8

Affinity

Question 9

Absence of all immunoglobulins in serum

Answer 9

Agammaglobulinemia

Question 10

Aggregation or clumping of cellular or particulate antigens to their corresponding antisera containing antibodies

Answer 10

Agglutination

Question 11

An antibody capable of causing agglutination with multivalent surface antigens: usually belongs to IgM class

Answer 11

Agglutinin

Question 12

An enzyme that liberates inorganic phosphates from phosphate esters;used as an indicator label in immunoassays

Answer 12

Alkaline phosphatase

Question 13

Alternative forms of a gene at a particular locus or specific position on a chromosome

Answer 13

Allele

Question 14

An antigen that triggers an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction

Answer 14

Allergen

Question 15

An adjuvant commonly added to human vaccines

Answer 15

Alum

Question 16

An anti-sheep red blood cell antibody that causes hemolysis of sheep red blood cells in the presence of complement

Answer 16

Amboceptor

Question 17

A rapid rise in the immunoglobulin concentration following subsequent exposure to an antigen; also known as a secondary immune response or booster response

Answer 17

Anamnestic Response

Question 18

An immunoglobulin (Ig) formed in response to an antigen

Answer 18

Antibody

Question 19

Highest dilution factor of a sample that still results in a visible reaction (i.e.,agglutination)

Answer 19

Antibody Titer

Question 20

Any substance that, when introduced into the body, stimulates antibody production

Answer 20

Antigen

Question 21

Union of an antibody with its homologous antigen

Answer 21

Antigen-antibody complex

Question 22

Accessory cells present in tissues that process antigens and display fragments on the cell surface in association with a Class II major histocompatibility complex molecules; examples include dendritic cells and macrophages

Answer 22

Antigen-presenting cells (APC)

Question 23

Number of antigenic determinants on an antigen

Answer 23

Antigen Valency

Question 24

A specific region of an antigen that is recognized by the B- or T-cell receptors

Answer 24

Antigenic Determinant

Question 25

Ability of a substance to react with immune products

Answer 25

Antigenicty

Question 26

An autoimmune antibody directed against a nuclear component; usually seen in patients with systemic lupuserythematosus

Answer 26

Antinuclear antibody (ANA)

Question 27

An antibody produced against streptolysin O, a hemolysin produced by group A *Streptococcus*

Answer 27

Antistreptolysin O (ASO)

Question 28

Suppressor and cytotoxic T-cells capable of recognizing and killing B-cells infected by viruses such as Epstein Barr virus; also known as reactive lymphocytes

Answer 28

Atypical lymphocytes

Question 29

Former name of the hepatitis B surface antigen

Answer 29

Australia Antigen

Question 30

The condition in which an immune response is initiated by “self” antigens

Answer 30

Autoimmunity

Question 31

The sum total binding strength between an antigen and an antibody

Answer 31

Avidity

Question 32

A lymphocyte that originated from the bone marrow; cells of theadaptive immune response that possess surface antibodies that are specific to an epitope

Answer 32

B-cell

Question 33

A protein not normally present in human blood but is present in a wide variety of inflammatory reactions; characterized by their ability to react with the C-polysaccharide component of pneumococci

Answer 33

C-reactive protein (CRP)

Question 34

A substance composed of fresh beef heart extract combined with lecithin and cholesterol

Answer 34

Cardiolipin

Question 35

Immunity that is dependent on T-cells and phagocytic cells

Answer 35

Cell-mediated immunity

Question 36

The movement of cells such as neutrophils toward a stimulus

Answer 36

Chemotaxis

Question 37

Cell surface markers that are employed for immunophenotyping cells particularly lymphocytes; also known as cluster of differentiation

Answer 37

Cluster of Designation (CD)

Question 38

Agglutinins that belong to the IgM class and are active at 4℃ but not at 37℃

Answer 38

Cold agglutinins

Question 39

A humoral mechanism of non-specific immune responses of at least 14 components that proceed in a cascading sequence of activation, resulting in cell lysis; formerly known as alexin; there are three complement pathways, namely, classical, alternative, and mannose-binding lectin

Answer 39

Complement

Question 40

The process of binding of complement in a reaction with an antigen and antibody

Answer 40

Complement fixation