Histocompatibility Complex (Noun)
Meaning
A family of fifty or more genes on the sixth human chromosome that code for proteins on the surfaces of cells and that play a role in the immune response.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The immune system uses the histocompatibility complex to distinguish between the body's own proteins and proteins made by foreign invaders, such as bacteria or viruses.
- The functioning of the human body's immune system is largely dependent on the histocompatibility complex to recognize self and non-self antigens.
- Most of the proteins encoded by the histocompatibility complex have key roles in the immune system, including the presenting of protein fragments to T cells.
- Tissue typing on the basis of histocompatibility complex phenotypes is used for this purpose, and is an important part of the process of matching donors with recipients for blood transfusions and organ transplants.
- Each person's histocompatibility complex genotype and phenotype is unique, and is determined by the inherited combination of alleles on the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6.