A
|
Ab |
Antibody |
|
ABO |
Major blood group system in humans |
|
ADCC |
Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity |
|
Ag |
Antigen |
|
AIDS |
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome |
|
ALL |
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia |
|
AML |
Acute myelocytic leukemia |
|
APC |
Antigen-presenting cell |
|
ARF |
Acute rheumatic fever |
|
ART |
Antiretroviral therapy |
B
|
B |
A component of the alternative complement pathway |
|
BA |
Brucella abortus |
|
BALT |
Bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue |
|
B cell |
Bone marrow–derived lymphocytem |
|
BCG |
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin |
|
BCGF |
B-cell growth factor, also called IL-4 |
|
BCR |
Antigen-specific B-cell receptor |
|
β2m |
Beta (β)2 microglobulin |
|
BM |
Bone marrow |
|
BTK |
Bruton tyrosine kinase |
|
B-1 cell |
Self-renewing B cell population |
|
B-2 cell |
Conventional B cell |
C
|
C |
Complement |
|
CAM |
Cell adhesion molecule |
|
CD |
Cluster of differentiation, also contact dermatitis |
|
CDR |
Complementarity-determining (hypervariable) region |
|
CEA |
Carcinoembryonic antigen |
|
CFM |
Chemotactic factor for macrophages |
|
CFU |
Colony-forming unit |
|
CGD |
Chronic granulomatous disease |
|
CH |
Heavy chain constant region(s) of immunoglobulin |
|
CIITA |
Major histocompatibility class II transactivator |
|
CL |
Constant region of immunoglobulin light chain |
|
CLIP |
Class II-associated invariant chain peptide |
|
CLL |
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia |
|
CLP |
Common lymphoid precursor |
|
CMI |
Cell-mediated immunity |
|
CML |
Cell-mediated lysis, also chronic myelocytic leukemia |
|
COOH |
Carboxyl terminus of an amino acid or protein |
|
COX |
Cyclooxygenase |
|
CR |
Complement receptor |
|
C region |
Constant region of a molecule or gene |
|
CRP |
C-reactive protein |
|
CS |
Contact sensitivity, also contact dermatitis |
|
CSF |
Colony-stimulating factor; cerebrospinal fluid |
|
CTL |
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte, also called Tc |
|
CTLA-4 |
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen-4, also known as CD 152 |
|
CVID |
Common variable immune deficiency |
|
C2, C3, C4, etc. |
Component of classical or lectin-binding pathways of complement |
|
C3R |
Receptor for the third component of complement |
D
|
D |
Component of the alternative complement pathway |
|
DAF |
Decay accelerating factor |
|
DC |
Dendritic cell |
|
DH |
Delayed (-type) hypersensitivity, see also DTH |
|
DMARD |
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug |
|
DN |
Double negative, for CD4 and CD8 markers, on thymocytes |
|
DP |
Double positive, for CD4 and CD8 markers, on thymocytes and sometimes T cells |
|
DTH |
Delayed-type hypersensitivity |
|
DTP |
Diptheria-tetanus-pertussis |
E
|
E |
Effector cell in MLR or CTL assay, also Symbol for erythrocyte |
|
EBV |
Epstein-Barr virus |
|
ECF-A |
Eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis |
|
EIA |
Enzyme immunoassay, also called ELISA |
|
ELISA |
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, also called EIA |
F
|
Fab |
Univalent antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulin |
|
F(ab′)2 |
Divalent antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulin |
|
FACS |
Fluorescence-activated cell sorter, also called a flow cytometer |
|
Fc |
Constant or crystallizable fragment of immunoglobulin |
|
FcR |
Receptor for Fc region of immunoglobulin |
|
Fd |
Heavy chain portion of Fab fragment of immunoglobulin |
|
FDC |
Follicular dendritic cell |
|
FIA |
Fluorescent immunosorbent assay |
|
FITC |
Fluorescein isothiocyanate |
|
FR |
Framework region of antibody molecule |
G
|
GALT |
Gut-associated lymphoid tissue |
|
GEF |
Guanine nucleotide exchange factor |
|
GM-CSF |
Granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor |
|
GVH |
Graft-versus-host |
|
GVHD |
Graft-versus-host disease |
H
|
HA |
Hemagglutinin |
|
HAART |
Highly active antiretroviral therapy |
|
H chain |
Heavy chain of antibody molecule |
|
HDN |
Hemolytic disease of the newborn |
|
HEV |
High endothelium venule |
|
HIV |
Human immunodeficiency virus |
|
HLA |
Human leukocyte antigen, human MHC |
|
HRF |
Homologous restriction factor |
|
HSP |
Heat shock protein |
|
HTLV |
Human T cell leukemia virus |
|
HVG |
Host-versus-graft |
|
H2 or H-2 |
Major histocompatibility complex of the mouse |
I
|
ICAM |
Immune cell adhesion molecule |
|
Id |
Idiotype |
|
IDDM |
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus |
|
IEP |
Immunoelectrophoresis |
|
IFN |
Interferon, often followed by α, β, or γ |
|
Ig |
Immunoglobulin |
|
Ii |
Invariant chain associated with MHC class II |
|
IL |
Interleukin |
|
ITAM |
Immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif |
|
ITIM |
Immunoreceptor tyrosine inhibition motif |
J
|
JAK |
Janus kinase, and sometimes, just another kinase |
|
J chain |
Joining chain of some antibody molecules |
|
J region |
Joining region of Ig and TCR genes |
K
|
kappa (κ) |
Kappa (κ) light chain of immunoglobulin |
|
KAR |
Killer activation receptor |
|
KIR |
Killer inhibition receptor |
L
|
LAD |
Leukocyte adhesion defect |
|
LAD |
Lymphocyte activating determinant |
|
LAF |
Lymphocyte activation factor |
|
LAK |
Lymphokine-activated killer |
|
Lambda (λ) |
Lambda (λ) light chain of immunoglobulin |
|
L chain |
Light chain of immunoglobulin molecule, designated as either κ or λ |
|
LCMV |
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus |
|
LD |
Lymphocyte defined determinant |
|
LFA |
Leukocyte function antigen |
|
LGL |
Large granular lymphocyte |
|
LMP |
Low molecular weight proteins |
|
LN |
Lymph node |
|
LPS |
Lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) |
M
|
mAb |
Monoclonal antibody |
|
MAC |
Membrane attack complex of complement |
|
MadCam-1 |
Mucosal cell adhesion molecule-1 |
|
MAF |
Macrophage-activating factor |
|
MAGE |
Melanoma-associated antigen (tumor antigen) |
|
MALT |
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue |
|
MAP |
Mitogen-activated protein |
|
MAPK |
Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK, also known as ERK) |
|
MAPKK |
MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK, also known as MAP2K or MEK) |
|
MAPKKK |
MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK, also known as MAP3K or MEKK) |
|
MBL |
Mannan-binding lectin, also Mannan-binding lectin pathway of complement activation |
|
MCF |
Macrophage chemotactic factor |
|
MCP |
Macrophage chemotactic protein |
|
MEK |
MAP kinase kinase, also known as MAP2K |
|
MHC |
Major histocompatibility complex |
|
MIF |
Migration inhibition factor |
|
MIP |
Macrophage inhibitory protein |
|
MLC |
Mixed lymphocyte culture |
|
MLR |
Mixed lymphocyte reaction |
|
Mls |
Minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus |
N
|
NFAT |
Nuclear factor of activated T cells |
|
NK |
Natural killer cell |
|
NKT |
T cell with NK properties |
|
NSAID |
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug |
P
|
P |
Properidin |
|
PAF |
Platelet-activating factor |
|
PALS |
Periarteriolar lymphoid sheath |
|
PAMP |
Pathogen-associated molecular pattern |
|
PBL |
Peripheral blood leukocyte (or lymphocyte) |
|
pCTL |
Pre-cytotoxic T lymphocyte |
|
P-K |
Prausnitz-Kustner reaction |
|
PK |
Protein kinase |
|
pMHC |
Peptide bound by major histocompatibility complex (I or II) molecule |
|
PMN |
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte or neutrophil |
|
PPD |
Purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis |
|
PRR |
Pattern recognition receptor |
R
|
RA |
Rheumatoid arthritis |
|
RAG |
Recombination-activating gene |
|
RAST |
Radioallergosorbent test, IgE-specific ELISA |
|
RBC |
Red blood cell |
|
RES |
Reticuloendothelial system |
|
RF |
Rheumatoid factor |
|
Rh |
Rhesus, a human blood group antigen system |
|
RIA |
Radioimmunoassay |
|
RID |
Radial immunodiffusion, also called Mancini technique |
S
|
S |
Stimulator cell in the MLR or CTL assay |
|
SC |
Secretory component of IgA |
|
SCID |
Severe combined immune deficiency |
|
SD |
Serologically defined determinant |
|
SH |
Src homology domain |
|
SLE |
Systemic lupus erythematosus |
|
SP |
Single positive for CD4 or CD8 markers on thymocytes or T cells |
|
SRS |
Slow reacting substance |
|
STAT |
Signal transducers and activators of transcription |
T
|
Tat |
Transactivator of transcription, an HIV protein |
|
TAP-1, TAP-2 |
Transporter associated with antigen processing |
|
TATA |
Tumor-associated transplantation antigen |
|
Tc |
Cytotoxic T cell, also called CTL |
|
T |
cell Thymus-derived lymphocyte |
|
TCGF |
T lymphocyte growth factor, also called IL-2 |
|
TCR |
Antigen-specific T-cell receptor |
|
TdT |
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase |
|
TGF |
Tumor growth factor |
|
Th |
Helper T cell, designated Th1, Th2, Th17, etc. |
|
TIL |
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes |
|
TK |
Tyrosine kinase |
|
TLR |
Toll-like receptor |
|
TNF |
Tumor necrosis factor |
|
Treg |
Regulator T cell |
|
TRF |
T cell-replacing factor |
|
Ts |
Suppressor T cell |
|
TSA |
Tumor-specific antigen(s) |
|
TSS |
Toxic shock syndrome |
|
TSTA |
Tumor-specific transplantation antigen(s) |
U
|
UNA |
Use no abbreviations, especially useful when colleagues’ speech includes an alphabet soup of jargon |
V
|
VH |
Variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chain |
|
VL |
Variable region of immunoglobulin light chain |
|
VLA |
Very late antigen |
|
V region |
Variable region of a molecule or gene |
W
|
WAS |
Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome |
|
WBC |
White blood cell, leukocyte |
X
|
X-SCID |
X-linked severe combined immune deficiency |
|
XLA |
X-linked agammaglobulinemia |