Terminologies Flashcards
The removal of antibodies from serum by the addition of red cells that possess the corresponding surface antigen
Absorption
An antigen that is not genetically determined and is sometimes transient
Acquired antigen
Immunity that is generated by the actual production of antibody by the host in the presence or foreign antigen
Active immunity
Normal serum constituents that increase in the presence of infection, injury or trauma to the tissues
Acute phase proteins
A substance that can increase the specific antibody production to, or the degree of sensitization against antigen by increasing its size or length of survival in the circulation. A substance (usually injected with an antigen) that improves the immune response, either humoral or cellular, to the antigen
Adjuvant
The attachment of one substance to the surface of another, in particular, the attachment of the antibody to specific receptors on a cell surface
Adsorption
Collection into clumps of the cells or particles distributed in a fluid
Agglutination
An antibody that is capable of causing agglutination with surface antigens
Agglutinin
An antigen agglutinated or clumped by an agglutinin
Agglutinogen
A system for activating complement beginning at C3 and do not involve a serologic reaction
Alternative complement pathway
A substance in the blood and the lymph serving as one of the active component on the process of cytolysis, the other components being the complement and the cells with antibodies. Anti-sheep red blood cell antibody that causes hemolysis of sheep red cells in the presence of complement.
Amboceptor
A globulin formed in response to exposure to an antigen. Also known as immunoglobulin (Ig).
Antibody (Ab)
Any substance that oppose or counteract the action of a complement
Anticomplementary substance
Any substance which, when introduced in the body, stimulates the formation of antibody
Antigen (Ag)
Union of antibody with its homologous antigen
Antigen-antibody complex
An autoantibody directed against a component of the nucleus, commonly found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
A serum containing antibody
Antiserum
An antibody produced against streptolysin O, a hemolysin produced by Group A streptococci
Antistreptolysin O
An antibody produced against “self” antigen
Autoantibody
A molecule that behaves as a “self” antigen
Autoantigen
A lymphocyte from the bursa of Fabricius or an immunoglobulin-forming cell
B-cell
A substance contained in beef erythrocytes, which is capable of absorbing the heterophil antibodies produced as a result of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and serum sickness
Beef erythrocyte (BE) antigen
A protein, not normally present in human blood, appears in a wide variety of inflammatory conditions. It is characterized by their ability to react with the C-polysaccharide somatic substance of the pneumococci.
C-reactive protein
The major system of complement activation that involves all nine components of complement and is initiated by a serologic reaction
Classic component pathway
An agglutinin or hemagglutinin that is active at 4 degrees Celsius but not at 37 degrees Celsius
Cold agglutinin
A humoral mechanism of nonspecific immune response consisting of at least 14 components that proceed in a cascading sequence of activation resulting in cell lysis
Complement
The fixation or binding of complement in a reaction with antigen and antibody
Complement fixation
Monitors day-to-day accurate performance of the laboratory tests/analyses
Control
A substance composed of extract from fresh beef hearts combined with lecithin and cholesterol
Cardiolipin antigen
A hemagglutination test that defines the characteristics of heterophil antibody by guinea pig and beef cell antigens
Davidsohn differential test
The most common procedure for the separation of mononuclear cells
Density gradient centrifugation
The separation of one substance from the other
Dissociation
A fluid medium containing antibodies deliberately removed from the red cells
Eluate
A ligand assay in which the label is an enzyme and the binding reagent is an antibody
Enzyme immunoassay
The point of dilution in a serologic reaction in which all the antigen and all the antibody are mutually involved in all complexes
Equivalence point
A specific type of precipitation that occurs over a narrow range of antigen concentration; aggregation of colloidal particles in a serologic reaction
Flocculation
A heterophil antibody that is stimulated by one antigen and reacts with unrelated surface antigen present on cells from different mammalian species
Forssman antibody
A substance which absorbs the Forssman and serum sickness antibodies
Guinea pig kidney (GPK) antigen
Flagellar antigens of bacteria
H antigens
The agglutination or clumping of red blood cells by the antiserum
Hemagglutination
Used in the detection of antibodies involve in the blocking if agglutination of erythrocytes
Hemagglutination-inhibition technique
Ruptured erythrocytes
Hemolyzed
A substance causing the agglutination of red blood cells
Hemagglutinin
An antibody capable of causing the lysis or dissolution of red cells with the consequent release of hemoglobin
Hemolysin
The lysis of red blood cells by specific antibody and serum complement
Hemolysis
Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or other agent (e.g. drugs)
Hepatitis
An antibody produced in response to one antigen that will react with a second antigen genetically unrelated antigen
Heterophil antibody
A virus that caused AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus
A solution which has a concentration greater than the system with which it is compared
Hypertonic solution
A process by which the activity of serum complement is nullified
Inactivation
An acute infectious disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus characterized by fever, pharyngitis and lymphadenopathy. There is a moderate leukocytosis due to abnormal mononuclear cells
Infectious mononucleosis (IM)
Outside the body; observable in a test tube
In-vitro
Within the living body
In-vivo
A molecule that combines with specific complementary configurations of the binding agent (e.g. receptors, proteins, or antibody).
Ligand
The creation of a stable preparation of a biologic material by rapid freezing and dehydration of the frozen product under high vaccum
Lyophilization
An antibody which causes dissolution or lysis of cells
Lysin
An antigen-antibody reaction in which the reactive effect of a particular antigen is nullified by a specific antibody
Neutralization
The surface somatic antigen of bacteria
O antigen
An antibody that attaches to a cellular or particular antigen rendering it susceptible to phagocytosis
Opsonin
Hemagglutination resulting from antibodies that are directed against antigens absorbed to their erythrocyte surface
Passive hemagglutination
The liquid portion of unclotted blood
Plasma
A weak or irregular antigen-antibody reaction occurring when a great excess of antigen is exposed to a serum containing a relatively low titer of antibody
Postzone reaction
An antigen-antibody reaction in which a soluble antigen is caused to settle out by the action of specific antibody (precipitin)
Precipitation
A negative or weak reaction occurring when serum containing an extremely high titer of antibody is exposed to a relatively small amount of antigen. The failure of a serologic reaction to occur in high concentration of antibody
Prozone reaction
The clumping of cells caused by agents other than antibodies
Pseudoagglutination
An atom with an unstable nucleus that spontaneously emits radiation as it decays to a stable nucleus
Radioisotope
An antibody-like substance produced by the body in response to certain types of tissue invasion and destruction. It is found in varying small amounts normally, but is usually increased in syphilis, malaria and certain other diseases
Reagin
A progressively higher dissolution of a substance arranged in a definite sequence or series
Serial dilution
A branch of biology which concerns itself with antigens and antibodies and their relationships
Serology
A condition wherein the cells are coated with incomplete (blocking or univalent) specific antibody
Sensitized
The detection of a specific antibody in the serum of an individual in whom the antibody was previously undetectable
Seroconversion
The fluid portion after the blood clots
Serum
The special affinity between an antigen and its corresponding antibody
Specificity
An assay in which one of the reactants is bound to a surface
Solid radioimmunoassay
An enzyme that dissolves clots by converting plasminogen to plasmin
Streptokinase
A thymus-derived lymphocyte responsible for cell-mediated hypersensitivity
T-lymphocyte (T-cell)
An expression of the highest dilution of serum which gives a visible reaction
Titer
The measurement of light transmitted through a suspension of particles
Turbidimetry
The agglutination of red blood cells by a virus
Viral hemagglutination
An antibody (or agglutinin) or hemagglutinin that is active at 37 degrees Celsius but not at 4 degrees Celsius
Warm agglutinin
The reduction in the electrical charge of red cell when it is suspended in a high ionic strength colloidal medium (albumin).
Zeta potential
