neutralization

(noun)

In the immunological sense refers to the ability of antibodies to block the site(s) on bacteria or viruses that they use to enter their target cell. One example of this within biology is a neutralizing antibody.

Related Terms

Examples of neutralization in the following topics:

  • Neutralization Reaction

    • Neutralization reactions are used to inactivate viruses and evaluate neutralizing antibodies.
    • A neutralizing antibody defends a cell from an antigen or infectious body by inhibiting or neutralizing any effect it has biologically .
    • Antibodies can also neutralize viral infectivity by binding to cell surface receptors.
    • Neutralizing antibodies have shown potential in the treatment of retroviral infections.
    • In diagnostic immunology and virology laboratories, the evaluation of neutralizing antibodies, which destroy the infectivity of viruses, can be measured by the neutralization method.

  • Microbial Growth at Low or High pH

    • Neutrophiles are organisms that thrive in neutral (pH 7) environments; extromophiles are organisms that thrive in extreme pH environments.
    • Most acidophile organisms have evolved extremely efficient mechanisms to pump protons out of the intracellular space in order to keep the cytoplasm at or near neutral pH.

  • Acidobacteria

    • For example, most acidophiles are able to pump protons out of the intracellular space to maintain a neutral pH within the cytoplasm.

  • Detecting Acid and Gas Production

    • These indicators or nutrients include but are not limited to neutral red, phenol red, eosin y, and methylene blue.
    • Different formulations use different indicators; neutral red is often used when culturing gut bacteria because lactose fermenters turn a deep red when this pH indicator is used.
    • Although some authors refer to NLFs as being colorless, in reality they turn neutral red a buffish color.

  • Antisense Agents

    • It prevents a pathogenic protein from being produced, rather than trying to selectively neutralize it once it is made.

  • Iron-Binding Proteins

    • The affinity of transferrin for Fe(III) is extremely high (1023 M−1 at pH 7.4), but decreases progressively with decreasing pH below neutrality.

  • The 3-Hydroxypropionate Cycle

    • Glyoxylate, the conjugate base of glyoxylic acid, is the form that exists at a neutral pH.

  • Primary and Secondary Antibody Responses

    • Pathogens can rapidly evolve and adapt to avoid detection and neutralization by the immune system.
    • As a result, multiple defense mechanisms have also evolved to recognize and neutralize pathogens .

  • Antibody Proteins and Antigen Binding

    • An antibody (Ab), also known as an immunoglobulin (Ig), is a large Y-shaped protein produced by B-cells that is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacteria and viruses.
    • Using this binding mechanism, an antibody can tag a microbe, or an infected cell, for attack by other parts of the immune system, or can neutralize its target directly; for example, by blocking a part of a microbe that is essential for its invasion and survival.

  • Iron Oxidation

    • The second type of microbes oxidizes ferrous iron at cirum-neutral pH.