Antiserum
Definition
Serum collected from an immunised animal containing antibodies directed against a specific antigen or group of antigens. In species identification, antiserum raised against human proteins will react with human samples and, to varying degrees, with proteins from closely related species.
Related terms
- Absorption-Elution
- A technique for detecting antigens on dried red cell debris. Specific antiserum is absorbed onto the stain; if the antigen is present,...
- Absorption
- The purification technique in which a crude antiserum is mixed with antigen preparations from cross-reacting species. Cross-reactive antibodies bind those antigens and...
- Absorption-Inhibition
- A known volume of antiserum is exposed to the stain; the residual unbound antibody is then titrated against indicator cells. A drop...
- Adjuvant
- A substance co-administered with an antigen to amplify the immune response. Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA), containing killed mycobacteria in mineral oil, is...
- Agglutination
- Clumping of red cells that occurs when antibodies in serum bind to incompatible antigens on the cell surface, cross-linking cells into visible...
- Blood Group System
- A set of red cell surface antigens encoded by one gene locus or by two tightly linked loci. The International Society of...
- Counter-Immunoelectrophoresis (CIE)
- An accelerated form of gel diffusion in which an electric current drives antigen and antibody toward each other rather than relying on...
- Cross-Reactivity
- The capacity of an antibody raised against one analyte to bind structurally related compounds. In RIA, cross-reactivity is the main driver of...
- Lattes Crust Method
- Classical direct agglutination. A crumb of the dried crust is teased into a drop of known antiserum on a slide. Leone Lattes,...
- Linkage Disequilibrium
- The non-random association of alleles at different loci within a population. Certain HLA allele combinations (e.g., HLA-A1 with HLA-B8 with HLA-DR3) occur...
- Mixed Agglutination
- A microscopy-based technique in which indicator cells form rosette aggregates around antigen-bearing stain material via antibody bridges. Positive results are read as...
- Monospecific Antiserum
- An antiserum that reacts exclusively with proteins from the target species after absorption against all cross-reacting species has been performed and verified....
Explained in these topics
- Antisera Production, Standardisation, and Cross-ReactivityThe serum fraction of blood taken from an immunised animal, containing antibodies raised against the immunising antigen. In forensic use, antiserum is further...
- Techniques for Determining Blood Groups from BloodstainsReagent containing known antibody (anti-A, anti-B, anti-H, anti-Rh) used to probe the unknown antigen on the stain.
- Minor Blood Group Systems: MNS, Kell, Duffy, and OthersSerum containing specific antibodies raised against a particular antigen, used as a reagent to detect that antigen on red cells. In blood group typing, antiser...
- The Precipitin Test for Species IdentificationSerum collected from an immunised animal containing antibodies directed against a specific antigen or group of antigens. In species identification, antiserum r...