antibody Physiol.
(ˈæntɪbɒdɪ)
[tr. G. anti-körper: see anti-1 2 a.]
Any of the proteins, naturally present in the body or produced in response to the introduction of an antigen, which react with specific antigens.
| 1901 Hektoen & Riesman Pathol. 231 Substances which appear during spontaneous or artificial infection or intoxication are known as antibodies (Antikörper) and antitoxins. 1921 R. A. Freeman in Edin. Rev. July 33 Those antibodies by which the existence of aggregates of the lower organisms is brought to an end. 1955 Sci. News Let. 8 Jan. 19/2 Antibodies are the substances formed in the body to fight off invading disease germs..a different kind of antibody being formed for each different kind of disease germ. |
Also fig.
| 1921 R. A. Freeman Social Decay 287 The Social Antibody is not Mechanism itself but the domination by it of human life and human activities. 1947 J. Hayward Prose Lit. since 1939 47 The writer himself creating the antibodies to protect his integrity. |
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Add: 2. Special Combs. antibody-negative a., lacking the antibodies associated with a particular antigen or disease.
| 1975 Laboratory Animal Sci. XXV. 307/1 The purpose of inoculating the 4 H simiae *antibody-negative rhesus monkeys was to determine the in vivo behavior of the isolated H simiae. 1985 New Statesman 27 Sept. 14/3 Without testing facilities.., ‘high-risk’ donors might give blood simply to find out their antibody-status (and possibly transmit the virus while being antibody-negative). 1989 S. Sontag Aids & Metaphors iii. 31 Concentration on the clinical manifestations of AIDS rather than all stages of HIV infection (i.e., from initial infection to seroconversion, to an antibody-positive asymptomatic stage, to full-blown AIDS) has had..the effect of misleading the public. |
antibody-positive a., having, or characterized by the presence of, the antibodies associated with a particular antigen or disease.
| 1969 Cumulated Index Medicus: Subject Index (1970) X. 6804/3 (title) Characteristics of *antibody-positive hyperthyroidism. 1974 Amer. Jrnl. Digestive Dis. XIX. 113 Thirty-nine blood donors, found on routine testing to be Australia antigen (HB Ag) or antibody (HB Ab) positive, were studied for evidence of hepatic disease. 1986 Nursing Times 3 Dec. 6/4 Health care providers who are HIV antibody positive should not be barred from working in the NHS. |