Test 1: Vocab Flashcards
Adaptive cells
– those that rearrange their genes
ADCC
- antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. A process where white blood cells
recognize the stems of antibodies attached to a cell and then attack it.
Allele
- A version of the gene. There are two alleles for the enzyme that produces color in four o’clock flowers, one that codes for an enzyme used to make red pigment and a different DNA sequence that does not produce a functional enzyme, leaving the flower white.
ALT
ALT – associated lymphoid tissue. MALT (mucosal), GALT (gut), BALT (bronchial), NALT (nasal)
Antibody
- a soluble immunoglobulin
Antigen
- a molecule that can bind to an antibody, B cell receptor or T cell receptor
APC
antigen presenting cell. Cells that present antigen on MHC II to TH cells
Apoptosis
– programmed cell death
ATP
- adenosine triphosphate, directly supplies energy to many biological reactions
BSA
– bovine serum albumin. A smallish soluble protein isolated from cow’s blood.
CAM
– cell adhesion molecule. Any one of a number of different molecules that help stick cells
together.
CD
– cluster of differentiation. Refers to the isolation of cells by flow cytometry. Depending on
exactly what proteins extend from a cell’s surface, which in turn influences how the cell moves
during the separation process.
CDR
- complementarity determining region- the recognition side on the tips of the antibody arms
Chitin
– cell wall material of fungi, also an important component of insect exoskeletons.
Chordate
– member of the phylum Chordata. Includes vertebrates and invertebrates with a
dorsal nerve cord, gill slits, notochord and muscles in blocks.
CLP
– common lymphoid progenitor. Gives rise to lymphoid cells, including NK, T cells, B cells, and more.
CMP
– common myeloid progenitor. Stem cell that can give rise to any myeloid cell type (including red blood cells and platelets.
Coley toxin
– inflammatory material isolated from bacteria used in cancer chemotherapy around 1900.
Complement
- a system of proteins that helps identify pathogens and debris for destruction and phagocytosis (the landmines of the plasma.)
CTL
Cytotoxic T cell. Activated TC cell, ready to kill rogue-self cells
Downstream
- the end of the DNA or RNA with the free 3’ carbon of the (deoxy) ribose. Nucleic acid synthesis and translation proceeds 5’ to 3’.
Epitope
– the specific portion of a molecule that binds to an adaptive receptor. For example, a viral protein is an antigen whose different epitopes bind to different antibody idiotypes.
Exon
- the part of a gene that codes for a sequence of RNA that will wind up in a message and get translated (expressed.) A gene or gene region may have one to many exons.