autoantibody /au·to·an·ti·body/ (-an´tĭ-bod″e) an antibody formed in response to, and reacting against, an antigenic constituent of one's own tissues.
Autoantibody
autoantibody
autoantibody,
autoantibody
au·to·an·ti·bod·y (ô t - n t -b d )n. An antibody that attacks the cells, tissues, or native proteins of the organism in which it was formed. |
Autoantibody
An antibody produced by the body in reaction to any of its own cells or cell products.
Mentioned in: Antimyocardial Antibody Test, Antinuclear Antibody Test, Autoimmune Disorders, Cold Agglutinins Test, Myasthenia Gravis
autoantibody
[ô′tō·an′tibod′ē]
Etymology: Gk, autos + anti, against; AS, bodig, body
an immunoglobulin produced by a person that recognizes an antigen on that person's own tissues. Several mechanisms may trigger the production of autoantibodies: an antigen, formed during fetal development and then sequestered, may be released as a result of infection, chemical exposure, or trauma, as occurs in autoimmune thyroiditis, sympathetic uveitis, and aspermia; there may be disorders of immune regulatory or surveillance function; antibodies produced against certain streptococcal antigens during infection may cross-react with myocardial tissue, causing rheumatic heart disease, or with glomerular basement membrane, causing glomerulonephritis; and normal body proteins may be converted to autoantigens by chemicals, infectious organisms, or therapeutic drugs. Some examples of autoantibodies are those found against gastric parietal cells in pernicious anemia, against platelets in autoimmune thrombocytopenia, and against antigens on the surface of erythrocytes in autoimmune hemolytic anemia. There is growing evidence that genetic factors increase the incidence and severity of autoimmune diseases.
autoantibody,
n an immunoglobulin produced by the immune system that is directed against one or more of the host's own proteins. Many autoimmune diseases in humans, most notably lupus erythematosus, are caused by such antibodies.
autoantibody
an antibody formed in response to, and reacting against, an antigenic constituent of the animal's own cells or tissues.
autoantibody
Immunology Any antibody produced by an organism against one of its own–self antigens. See Antibody, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Lupus erythematosus, Myasthenia gravis, Rheumatoid arthritis.
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