Heterophile

Heterophile

Heterophile is an alternate term to heterosexual and once competed with it for currency, but only did so successfully in Scandinavia. It is a parallel concept to "homophile".

In Scandinavia and Finland, the word "heterofil" is a gender-neutral term, like "heterosexual" in Canada and the United States.

Medical

Heterophile antibodies are antibodies induced by external antigens (heterophile antigens) that cross-react with self-antigens. For example, antibodies against group A streptococcal cell walls can also react with human heart tissues. These are considered heterophile antibodies.

In clinical diagnosis, the heterophile antibody test specifically refers to a rapid test for antibodies produced against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis.


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  • hétérophile — [eteʀɔfil] adj. ÉTYM. XXe; de hétéro , et phile. ❖ ♦ Biol. Se dit de substances antigéniques décelables chez des êtres vivants appartenant à des espèces différentes …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • heterophile — het·ero·phile het ə rə .fīl or het·er·o·phil .fil also het·er·o·phil·ic .het ə rə fil ik adj relating to or being any of a group of antigens in organisms of different species that induce the formation of antibodies which will cross react with the …   Medical dictionary

  • Heterophile antibody test — The test is sensitive for heterophile antibodies produced by the human immune system in response to EBV infection. The monospot test, a form of the heterophile antibody test,[1] is a rapid test for infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein–Barr… …   Wikipedia

  • Heterophile Antikörper — Als heterophilen Antikörpern werden unspezifische Antikörper bezeichnet, die mit gegen Zellen oder sonstige Antigene einer anderen Art kreuzreagieren und die falsch positive Ergebnisse in der Diagnostik hervorrufen können. Ein bekanntes Beispiel… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • heterophile — or heterophil adjective Date: 1920 relating to or being any of a group of antigens in organisms of different species that induce the formation of antibodies that will cross react with the other antigens of the group; also being or relating to any …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • heterophile — adjective Able to react immunologically with material from another species See Also: heterogenetic …   Wiktionary

  • heterophile — n. white blood cell which can be easily stained with neutral dyes, neutrophil …   English contemporary dictionary

  • heterophile — het·er·o·phile …   English syllables

  • heterophile — …   Useful english dictionary

  • heterophile antibody — An antibody raised against an antigen from one species that also reacts against antigens from other species. Also used of systems such as the Forssman antigen where antibody against antigens from a variety of species is present without… …   Dictionary of molecular biology

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