Definition of Immunosuppression
1. Noun. Lowering the body's normal immune response to invasion by foreign substances; can be deliberate (as in lowering the immune response to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ) or incidental (as a side effect of radiotherapy or chemotherapy for cancer).
Definition of Immunosuppression
1. Noun. (immunology medicine) The active medical suppression of the immune response. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Medical Definition of Immunosuppression
1.
This occurs when T and/or B clones of lymphocytes are depleted in size or suppressed in their reactivity, expansion or differentiation.
It may arise from activation of specific or non-specific T suppressor lymphocytes of either T or B clones or by drugs that have generalised effects on most or all T or B lymphocytes.
Cyclosporin A and FK506 act on T-cells, as does antilymphocyte serum, alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide are less specific in their action and damage DNA replication, while base analogues interfering with guanine metabolism act in a similar way.
See: immunophilin.
This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology
(11 Mar 2008)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Immunosuppression
Other Resources:
