Alexin
Definition
A historical term used in early immunology, introduced by Hans Buchner and popularized by Jules Bordet, to designate the complement system; a thermolabile protein substance present in normal blood serum capable of destroying bacteria and other foreign cells in cooperation with specific antibodies (sensitizers). In modern biochemistry, its action is studied as an integral part of the innate non-specific immune response of cell lysis.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Alexin
- Alexine
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Feminine noun with standard plural variations, utilized within historical and comparative biological treatises. |
| Formation | Scientific neologism derived from the Ancient Greek verb 'alexein' meaning to ward off or protect. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [ə.ˈlɛk.sɪn] |
| Source | Lexicon of Classical Medical Terms, Historical Serology, and Biochemical Discoveries |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: În tratatele vechi de medicină, această alexină era descrisă ca factorul principal responsabil de imunitatea naturală a sângelui.
EN: In old medical treatises, this alexin was described as the main factor responsible for the blood's natural immunity.
RO: Cercetătorul a demonstrat că încălzirea serului la cincizeci și șase de grade Celsius distruge activitatea acestei alexine.
EN: The researcher demonstrated that heating the serum to fifty-six degrees Celsius destroys the activity of this alexin.
RO: Studiul detaliază modul în care anticorpii fixează moleculele de alexină pe peretele celular bacterian pentru a declanșa liza.
EN: The study details how antibodies fix alexin molecules onto the bacterial cell wall to trigger lysis.
Idioms & Phrases
Activitate de alexină / Alexinic activity / complement activity
RO: Capacitatea litică naturală a serului sangvin proaspăt de a neutraliza agenții patogeni invadatori.
EN: The natural lytic capacity of fresh blood serum to neutralize invading pathogenic agents.
Fixare de alexină / Alexin fixation / complement fixation
RO: Tehnică istorică de laborator utilizată pentru detectarea prezenței anticorpilor sau antigenelor specifice într-o probă.
EN: A historical laboratory technique used to detect the presence of specific antibodies or antigens within a sample.
Deficit de alexină / Alexin deficiency
RO: Incapacitate congenitală sau dobândită a organismului de a produce proteinele serice de apărare, ducând la infecții repetate.
EN: A congenital or acquired inability of the organism to produce protective serum proteins, leading to repeated infections.
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