An immunoglobulin molecule with a specific amino acid sequence evoked in man or other animals by an antigen, and characterized by reacting specifically with the antigen in some demonstrable way, antibody and antigen each being defined in terms of the other. It is believed that antibodies may also exist naturally, without being present as a result of the stimulus provided by the introduction of an antigen: 1) in the broad sense any body or substance, soluble or cellular, which is evoked by the stimulus provided by the introduction of antigen and which reacts specifically with antigen in some demonstrable way; 2) one of the classes of globulins (immunoglobulins) present in the blood serum or body fluids of an animal as a result of antigenic stimulus or occurring naturally. Different genetically inherited determinants, Gm (found on IgG H chains), Am (found on IgA H chains), and Km (found on K-type L chains and formerly called InV), control the antigenicity of the antibody molecule; subclasses are denoted either alphabetically or numerically (e.g., G3mb1 or G3m5). The various classes differ widely in their ability to react in different kinds of serologic tests. See Also: immunoglobulin. Syn: immune protein, protective protein, sensitizer(1).
affinity antibody
agglutinating antibody
anaphylactic antibody
anti-basement membrane antibody
anticardiolipin antibodies
anti-idiotype antibody
antinuclear antibody
antiphospholipid antibodies
avidity antibody
bivalent antibody
blocking antibody
blood group antibodies
catalytic antibody
cell-bound antibody
CF antibody
chimeric antibodies
cold antibody
cold-reactive antibody
complement-fixing antibody
complete antibody
cross-reacting antibody
cytophilic antibody
cytotropic antibody
fluorescent antibody
Forssman antibody
heterocytotropic antibody
heterogenetic antibody
heterophil antibody
heterophile antibody
homocytotropic antibody
idiotype antibody
immobilizing antibody
incomplete antibody
inhibiting antibody
lymphocytotoxic antibodies
monoclonal antibody
natural antibody
neutralizing antibody
nonprecipitable antibody
nonprecipitating antibody
normal antibody
P-K antibodies
polyclonal antibody
Prausnitz-Küstner antibody
precipitating antibody
reaginic antibody
treponema-immobilizing antibody
treponemal antibody
univalent antibody
Vi antibody
Wassermann antibody