Dictionary
an•ti•bod•y
Pronunciation: (an'ti-bod"ē), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -bod•ies.
1. any of numerous
Y-shaped protein molecules produced by B cells as a primary immune defense, each molecule and its clones having a unique binding site that can combine with the complementary site of a foreign antigen, as on a virus or bacterium, thereby disabling the antigen and signaling other immune defenses.
Abbr.: Ab
2. antibodies of a particular type collectively. Also called
immunoglobulin. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.