About PID » PID Glossary

Acquired Immune Deficiency	An immune deficiency acquired during a person's lifetime. Can be caused by e.g. infection, medication or radiation
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome	AIDS. an acquired immune deficincy, caused by HIV
Acute	Description of a disease, which is usually short termed and of recent onset
Adenosine Deaminase (ADA)	An enzyme, which is important for the development of the immune system
Agammaglobulinemia	Total (almost) lack of immunoglobulins
Amniocentesis	Extraction of amniotic fluid in order to perform prenatal genetic testing
Anemia	Deficiency of red blood cells, haemoglobin or blood volume
Antibody	Protein molecules produced and secreted by some B cells in response to stimulation by antigen
Antigen	Any foreign substance that activates the immune system
Aspergillius	A kind of fungi including many common moulds
Ataxia	Unsteady walk caused by neurological abnormalities
Autoantibody	An immunoglobulin, which reacts against the person's own tissue
Autoimmune Disease	A disease in which a persons immune system reacts against the persons own tissue
Autosomal recessive inheritance	Non X-linked inheritance. the trait or disease is inherited from both parents
Autosomes	Every chromosome except the sex chromosome
B-lymphocytes (B cells)	White blood cells originating from the bone marrow. Involved in the production of immunoglobulins
Bacteria	Single cell organisms (miro organisims)
Bone Marrow	Soft tissue located in the hollow bones
Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT)	A treatment by means of which bone marrow from one person is transplanted to another person
Bronchiectasis	A dilation of the bronchi, can be caused by recurrent infections
Carrier detection	Detection of a genetic defect, which does not express itself in the carrier
CD 40 Ligand	A protein located on the surface of the T cells
Cellular immunity	Immune protection provided by the direct action of the immune cells
Chorionic villus sampling	Extraction of a sample of the placenta during pregnancy with the purpose to perform genetic testing
Chronic	Description of a recurrent or continuous infection or disease
Combined immune deficiency	An immune deficiency involving both B and T cells
Complement	About 28 proteins circulating in the blood. they act in a definte sequence to affect the distruction of bacteria, viruses and fungi
Congenital	An inborn desease or deformity
Cord Blood	Blood from the placenta or the unbilical cord
Consanguineous	Related by blood
Cytokine	A signalling protein. Regulates the activitiy of other cells. Interleukins and interferons are examples of cytokines
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)	The carrier of genetic information in the chromosomes
Eczema	Inflammation of the skin with redness, itching and squamation
Endocrine system	A number of glands in the body. Produces hormones.
Eosinophillia	An increase in the number of eosinophil granular white blood cells
Enzyme	A protein facilitating chemical reactions
Fungus	Member of a family of relative primitive micro organisims (mushrooms, yeast and moulds)
Gamma interferon	A cytokine primarily produced by the T cells. Improves bacterial killing by phagocytes
Gene	A unit of genetic material (DNA)
Genetic Therapy	Test performed to confirm if a person has a special gene
Graft rejection	Immune reaction in the recipient leading to rejection of the transplanted organ or tissue
Graft-versus-host disease	A reaction by means of which transplanted immune cells attack the tissue of the recipient
Granulocyte	A white blood cell, which is able to ingest foreign microbes
Granulocyte-colony- stimulating factor (G-CSF)	A cytokine which stimulates proliferation, development and function of granulocytes
Granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM -CSF)	A cytokine stimulating proliferation, development and funciton of granulocytes and macrophages
Haplotype	A series of gen clusters on the sixt chromosome that determines histocompatiblity antigens
Helper lymphocytes (helper T cells)	A subset of T cells, which support the function of B cells and T cells
Histocompatibility antigens	Chemicals on teh surface of most boady cells. Rather unique to each person. Determine the tissue type of a person
Human immune deficiency virus (HIV)	A virus infecting and destroying cells of the immune system. Causes AIDS
Humoral Immunity	Immune protection provided by soluble factors circulating in the blood.
Hypo-	Under normal
Hyopgammaglobulinaemia	Too low levels of immnoglobulins in the blood
Hypoloplasia	Insufficient development of an organ or part of the body
IgA	Immunoglobulin, class A. Available in the blood and tears and on the mucous memberanes in the body. Is secreted in the breast milk
IgD	Immunoglobulin, class D. Its function is not well understood
IgE	Immunoglobulin, class E. Only very small amounts in the blood. Responsible for allergic reactions
IgG	Immunoglobulin, class G. The most abundant and common immunoglobulin. Reacts against bacteria and viruses. Able to cross the placenta.
IgM	Immunoglobulin, class M. Circulates with the blood. Activates the complement system. Is the first imunoglobulin to be produced
Immune deficiency	A congenital or acquired abnormal function of the immune system
Immune response	The reaction of the immune system against foreign microbes
Immunocompetent	The ability to initiate an immune reaction
Immunoglobulins (Ig)	The same as antibodies. Five diferent classes: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, IgM
Immunoglobulin replacement Therapy	Subcutaneous (SCIG) or intravenous injection (IVIG) of immunoglobulin
Incubation	The time span between the infection and the manifestation of the disease
In vitro	Experiment done in laboratory outside a living environment
In vivo	Experiment don in a living environment
Infection	Disease caused by a pathogen
Inflammation	Heat of part of the body, with pain, redness and swelling
Interleukin	Signalling protein. Mainly produced by the T cells and macrophages
IVIG	Intravenous injection immunoglobulin
Killer Lymphocytes	Cytotoxic T cells, kill microbes, or cells infected by them directly
Leukaemia	Type of cancer affecting the cells of the immune system
Leukocyte (white blood cells)	Small colorless blood cells playing an important role in the immunce system. Five basic types: Monocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and basophil
Live vaccines	Live viruses used in vaccines. In immunocompromised persons they can transmit the disease which they were originally designed to prevent.
Lymph	Fluid made up of various components of the immune system. Flows throughout tissues of the body
Lymph node	Small bean-sized organs of the immune system, distributed widely in the body. Each lymph node contains special compartments for T cells, B cells and macrophages
Lymphocytes	Small white cells in the blood and lymphoid tissue, two major forms: B cells and T cells
Lymphoma	Type of cancer of the lyphocytes
Macrophoage	A phagocytic tissue cell. Destructs foreign antigens and present them to T and B cells
Major Historcompatibility Complex (MHC)	A series of genes on chomosome number six. Determines a persons tissue type
Malignancy	Cancer
Metabolism	The chemical process in the cells or the body as a whole whether it is a building or breaking down of the living material
Mibrobes	Very small living organisms. Normally single cells. Includes bacteria, protozoa and fungi
Molecules	Subunits of matter, element or compound. The molecules themselves are composed of atoms
Monocyte	Phagocytic cell in the blood. Acts as a scavenger. Develops into a macrophage in the tissue.
Monokines	Chemical mssengers produced by moncytes and macrophages
Mucosal surfaces	Surfaces that come in close contact with the environment (eyes, moth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, etc)
NK cell	Natural killer cell
Neutropenia	A lower than normal number of neutrophilis in the blood
Neutrophilis	A type of granulocytes in the blood and tissues. Able to ingest microbes.
Opportunistic infection	An infection, which only occurs under special circumstances
Opsonin	Antibodies, which bind microbes to phagocytes
Organisim	An individual living thing
Osteomyelitis	Infection of a bone
Parasite	A plant or animal, which lives within another living organisim
Parathyroid Gland	Small glands in the neck near to thryoid. Control the metabloism and levels of calcium in th eblood
Petecchiae	Very small red spots in the skin caused by punctiform bleedings in the skin
Phagocyte	A class of white blood cells, which ingest microbes, other cells and foreign particles
Plasma cells	Cells, decending from B cells, producing immunoglobulin
Platelets	The smallest and most fragile blood cells. Function: blood clotting
Polyethylene glycol-adenosine deaminase (PEG-ADA)	A replacement enzyme, which is able to nnormalise certain immune fuctions
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)	A sensitive and fast method to identify a microbes
Polypeptides	Chains of aminoacids
Polysaccharides	Complex sugers
Primary immunodeficiency	Disease, intrinsic to the cells and tissues of the immune system
Prophylactic	Medical therapy initiated to prevent a disease or infection
Protein	Organic chemicals made up of chains of amino acids
Protozoa	A small parasite
Secondary immune deficiency	Immune deficiency due to another illness or treatment
Sepsis	Infection of the blood
Sex chromosomes	Two chromosomes X and Y. XX for female and XY for male
Spleen	Organ in the abdominal cavity. Contains B cells, T cells and macrophoges
Stem cells	Cells from which all blood cells and immune cells are derived
Subcutaneous infusion	Injection of immunoglobulin directly under the skin with a small pump
T cell	A lymphocyte. Processed in the thymus
Telagiectasia	Dilation of the blood vessels
Thrombocytopenia	Low number of the platelets
Thrush	Fungal disease of mucous membranes in the mouth, caused by Candida
Thymus gland	Lymphoid organ located behind the upper portion of the breast bone. The chief educator of T cells. Increases in size from infancy to adolescence. Herupon it gradually shrinks.
Vaccine	A substance that contains components from an infectious organisim. Stimulates the immune system and protects the body from subsequent attacks
Vector	Modified viruses with normal genes. Are used in gene therapy
Virus	A submicroscopic microbe causing infections. is only able to reproduce in living cells
White blood cells	See leukocyte
X - linked inheritance	Inheritance when the disease is inherited via the X - chromosome