PROZONE Meaning and
Definition
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Prozone, in the field of medicine and immunology, refers to a phenomenon where excessive amounts of a specific substance create inhibitory effects instead of the expected actions. This term is primarily used in the context of immunological testing, such as antibody-antigen reactions.
In immunology, the interaction between antibodies and antigens leads to the formation of immune complexes. Under normal circumstances, these immune complexes facilitate the destruction of pathogens or foreign substances. However, in certain cases, the presence of an excessive amount of antibodies can overwhelm the antigens, leading to an inadequate immune response. This occurrence is known as the prozone effect.
The prozone effect often occurs when the concentration of antibodies present in a sample is too high for efficient binding with the targeted antigen. Consequently, the immune complexes fail to form, impeding the immune response. As a result, false-negative test results can be obtained, as the excessive antibody concentration masks the presence of the antigen.
Addressing the prozone effect requires a careful dilution of the sample, ensuring the optimal balance between antibodies and antigens to achieve accurate results. Dilution helps to reduce the antibody concentration, allowing for appropriate immune complex formation and subsequent detection.
Overall, prozone is a term used to describe the inhibitory effect caused by an excess of antibodies, leading to the impairment of immune complex formation and potentially yielding false-negative results in immunological testing.
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In the phenomenon of agglutination, the layer of concentrated serum, in which agglutination is absent, preceding that of more dilute serum in which the action takes place.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PROZONE
- prozen
- -prezone
- orozone
- lrozone
- -rozone
- 0rozone
- peozone
- pdozone
- pfozone
- ptozone
- p5ozone
- p4ozone
- prizone
- prkzone
- prlzone
- prpzone
- pr0zone
- pr9zone
- prosone
- proaone
Etymology of PROZONE
The word "prozone" is derived from the combination of the prefix "pro-" and the noun "zone". "Pro-" comes from the Greek word "pro" meaning "before" or "in front of". "Zone" comes from the Latin word "zona" meaning "belt" or "girdle". Therefore, when combined, "prozone" suggests an area or region that comes before or in front of a particular zone. The word is commonly used in various scientific fields with specific meanings, such as in immunology to describe the phenomenon where excessive amounts of an antibody may hinder their expected function.
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