1.1 -- Medical Interventions Vocab

Key Terms and Concepts in 1.1 M.I

Vocabulary List

  • Antibody

    • A protein secreted by plasma cells (differentiated B cells) that binds to a particular antigen and marks it for elimination.

  • Antigen

    • A foreign macromolecule that does not belong to the host organism and elicits an immune response.

  • Bioinformatics

    • The collection, classification, storage, and analysis of biochemical and biological information using computers especially as applied in molecular genetics and genomics.

  • Concentration

    • The amount of a specified substance in a unit amount of another substance.

  • ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)

    • A quantitative in vitro test for an antibody or antigen in which the test material is absorbed on a surface and exposed either to a complex of an enzyme linked to an antibody specific for the antigen or an enzyme linked to an anti-immunoglobulin specific for the antibody followed by reaction of the enzyme with a substrate to yield a colored product corresponding to the concentration of the test material.

  • Enzyme

    • A protein serving as a catalyst; a chemical agent that changes the rate of reaction without being consumed by the reaction.

  • Genome

    • The complement of an organism's genes; an organism's genetic material.

  • Medical Intervention

    • Any measure whose purpose is to improve health or alter the course of disease.

  • Outbreak

    • A sudden rise in the incidence of a disease.

  • Pathogen

    • A specific causative agent of disease.

  • Primer

    • A short piece of DNA or RNA that is complementary to a section of template strand and acts as an attachment and starting point for the synthesis strand during DNA replication.

  • Serial Dilution

    • A stepwise dilution of a substance in solution.

  • Solute

    • A substance dissolved in another substance.

  • Solution

    • A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances, which may be solids, liquids, gases, or a combination of these.

  • Substrate

    • The reactant on which an enzyme works.