Immunology-Serology

Glossary of Terms (1-50)

1. Absorption: a laboratory technique that involves the removal of antibodies by the use of a
specific antigen (i.e. red blood cell surface antigen)
2. Accuracy: the proximity or closeness of a value to the “true” value
3. Acquired: incurred due to external factors and is not inherited
4. Acute phase proteins: normal serum constituents that increase or decrease in the presence
of infection, injury, or trauma to tissues; associated with inflammatory reactions
5. Adjuvant: a substance added to vaccines to potentiate or enhance the immune response of
the recipient. (Ex: Alum and Freund’s Adjuvant)
6. Adsorption: process of attachment of one substance to the surface of another; attachment of
antibody to specific antigen receptors on a cell surface
7. Affinity: binding stength between an antigenic determinant (epitope) and its complementary
site (paratope) in the Fab region of the antibody
8. Agammaglobulinemia: absence of all immunoglobulins in serum
9. Agglutination: aggregation or clumping of cellular or particulate antigens to its corresponding
antisera containing antibodies
10. Agglutinin: antibody capable causing agglutination with multivalent surface antigens; usually
belonging to IgM class
11. Agglutinogen: particulate or cellular antigen involved in agglutination/aggregation
12. Alkaline Phosphatase: enzyme that liberates inorganic phosphates from phosphate esters. It
is used as an indicator label in immunoassays
13. Allele: an alternative form(s) of a gene at a particular locus or specific position on a
chromosome
14. Allergen: an antigen that triggers an allergic/hypersensitivity reaction
15. Alum: an adjuvant commonly added to human vaccines
16. Amboceptor: an anti-sheep red blood cell antibody that causes hemolysis of sheep red
blood cells in the presence of complement
17. Anamnestic response: a rapid rise in the immunoglobulin concentration following a
subsequent exposure to antigen. Also known as secondary immune response or booster
response
18. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA): an autoimmune antibody directed against a nuclear
component usually seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
19. Antibody titer: highest dilution factor of a sample that still results a visible reaction (i.e.
agglutination
20. Antibody: an immunoglobulin (Ig) formed in response to an antigen
21. Antigen presenting cells (APC): accessory cells present in tissues that process antigen and
display fragments on the cell surface in association with a Class II Major Histocompatibility
Complex Molecules. (Ex: dendritic cells, macrophages)
22. Antigen Valency: number of antigenic determinants on an antigen
23. Antigen-Antibody Complex: union of antibody with its homologous antigen
24. Antigen: any substance that when introduced into the body stimulates antibody production
25. Antigenic Determinant: a specific region of an antigen that is recognized by the B or T cells
receptors
26. Antigenicity: ability of a substance to react with immune products
27. Antistreptolysin O (ASO): antibody produced against streptolysin O, a hemolysin produced
by Group B Streptococci
28. Atypical lymphocytes: 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
29. Australia Antigen: former name of Hepatitis B surface antigen
30. Autoimmunity: condition in which an immune response is initiated by “self” antigens
31. Avidity: sum total binding strength between an antigen and an antibody
32. B-cell: a lymphocyte that originated from the bone marrow; cells of the adaptive immune
response that possess surface antibodies that are specific to an epitope
33. C-reactive protein: protein not normally present in the human blood that is present in a wide
variety of inflammatory reactions. It is characterized by their ability to react with the C-
polysaccharide component of pneumococci.
34. Cardiolipin: substance composed of fresh beef heart extract combined with lecithin and
cholesterol
35. Cell Mediated Immunity: immunity that is dependent on T cells and phagocytic cells
36. Chemotaxis: movement of cells such as neutrophils towards a stimulus
37. Cluster of Designation (CD): cell surface markers that are employed for immunophenotyping
of cells particulary lymphocytes, also known as cluster of differentiation
38. Cold Agglutinins: agglutinin belonging to IgM class that is active at 4℃ but not at 37℃
39. Complement fixation: process of binding of complement in a rection with antigen and
antibody
40. Complement: a humoral mechanism of non-specific immune response of at least 14
components that proceed in a cascading sequence of activation, resulting in cell lysis;
formerly known as alexin. There are 3 complement pathways namely: Classical,
Alternative, and Mannose Binding Lectin
41. Control: a substance that is similar to the patient sample that is used to monitor precision of
analytical tests
42. Cytokine: protein molecules secreted by leukocytes that regulate immune response
43. Davidsohn Differential Test: a hemagglutination test that defines the characteristics of
heterophil antibody by guinea pig and beef cell antigens
44. Density Gradient Centrifugation: most common procedure for the separation of lymphocytes
45. Eluate: a fluid containing antibodies deliberately removed from red blood cells
46. Enzyme Immunoassay: a ligand assay which employs an enzyme label and the binding
reagent is an antibody
47. Epitope: specific region of antigen that is recognized by a B cell or T cell
48. Equivalence Point: a point of dilution in a serologic reaction in which there is maximal
binding of antigen and antibody as seen in precipitation reactions
49. Febrile Agglutinins: agglutinating antibodies that are produced in response to
microorganisms that induce fever
50. Flocculation: a type of precipitation that occurs over a narow range of antigen concentration.
Involves aggregation of colloidal particles described as “fleecy mass” or clump.