Medical dictionary. 2011.
complement fixation — n the process of binding serum complement to the product formed by the union of an antibody and the antigen for which it is specific that occurs when complement is added to a mixture (in proper proportion) of such an antibody and antigen * * *… … Medical dictionary
complement — Ehrlich term for the thermolabile substance, normally present in serum, that is destructive to certain bacteria and other cells sensitized by a specific c. fixing antibody. C. is a group of at least 20 distinct serum proteins, the … Medical dictionary
antibody — An immunoglobulin molecule produced by B lymphoid cells with a specific amino acid sequence evoked in humans or other animals by an antigen (immunogen). These molecules are characterized by reacting specifically with the antigen in some… … Medical dictionary
complement fixation — n. Immunology the fixing of complement into the product of an antigen antibody reaction: used as an infection indicator in certain serologic tests that measure the presence or absence of free, active complement … English World dictionary
complement-fixation test — noun : a test for the presence of a particular antibody made by addition of complement and an indicator system to a mixture of known antigen and a serum suspected to contain the specific antibody for this antigen and used especially in the… … Useful english dictionary
complement-fixation test — /kom pleuh meuhnt fik say sheuhn/, Med. a test for diagnosing an infectious disease by detecting the presence of antibody in the blood, based on the fixing of a known quantity of complement to the antigen being tested and the specific antibody… … Universalium
hemolysin — 1. Any substance elaborated by a living agent and capable of causing lysis of red blood cells and liberation of their hemoglobin. SYN: erythrocytolysin, erythrolysin. 2. A sensitizing (complement fixing) antibody that combines with red blood… … Medical dictionary
amboceptor — Ehrlich term for his concept, now obsolete, of the structure of complement fixing antibody; now used chiefly to denote the anti sheep erythrocyte antibody used in the hemolytic system of complement fixation tests. [ambo + L. capio, to take] * * * … Medical dictionary
lysin — 1. A specific complement fixing antibody that acts destructively on cells and tissues; the various types are designated in accordance with the form of antigen that stimulates the production of the l., e.g., hemolysin, bacteriolysin. 2. Any… … Medical dictionary
Hemolysis — The destruction of red blood cells which leads to the release of hemoglobin from within the red blood cells into the blood plasma. Etymology: The word hemolysis is made up of hemo , blood + lysis , the disintegration of cells. * * * Alteration,… … Medical dictionary
