Immunology and Serology Fundamentals

Key word terms/vocabulary set

Antibody-antigen complex

The structured binding of an antibody with an antigen

Antibody titer

The lowest concentration of an antibody detected by immunoassays. Written as the inverse of a dilution factor such as dilution 1:64 is a titer of 64

Antithrombin

Glycoprotein in the coagulation pathway that inactivates/inhibits thrombin

D-dimer

A product of fibrin degradation, an indicator that fibrinolysis is occuring

Diluent

Component of a solution, often saline, to mix with a solute for a dilution study or reagent.

Factor XIII

Firbin stabilizing factor - crosslinks fibrin threads during coagulation

Factor I

Fibrinogen - precursor to fibrin, the final process of coagulation

Immunogenicity

The ability of an antigen to initiate an immune response

Plasmin

Enzyme involved in dissolving a fibrin clot

Protein C

Involved in anti-coagulation pathways, prevents coagulation

Protein S

Involved in complement cascade and anticoagulation

Serial dilution

Dilution steps to create a logarithmic reduction of solutes or analytes for each dilution step - leading to a more diluted solution

Serology

The study of the detection and quantification of antibodies and antigens in serum

Immunology

The study of how the immune system identifies and acts upon foreign antigens

Serum

Liquid portion of plasma containing antibodies and antigens from coagulated blood

Plasma

Liquid portion of whole anticoagulated blood containing antibodies, antigens, proteins, clotting factors

Solute

The smaller components of a solution that dissolves in diluent containing analytes of interest for study

Thrombin

Enzyme that cleaves fibrinogen to create fibrin during coagulation

Chemokines

Type of cytokine that chemically alerts immune cells

Cytokine

Chemical messenger secreted by cells for communication with other cells, often to initiate an immune response

Clonal expansion

Adaptive immune process in which lymphocytes differentiate into specific effector and memory cells

Dendritic cells

Antigen presenting cells within the innate and adaptive immune responses

MHC

Major histocompatibility complex - Cellular membrane structure used in the presentation of antigens, also known as human leukocyte antigens (HLA)

Mast cells

Granular cells within connective tissue that are involved with immune responses

Pattern Recognition Receptors

Generalized antigen receptors on microbes, also known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) which immune cells identify as foreign

Primary lymphoid organs

Bone marrow and thymus, sites for lymphoid development and maturation

Secondary lymphoid organs

Lymph nodes and spleen, place for lymphoid cells to activate, proliferate, and differentiate following antigen presentation