immune response

noun

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Definition of immune response

: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless — called also immune reaction

See immune response defined for kids

Recent Examples of immune response from the Web

Dorman is a tinkerer who figures out how to grow, kill, and administer viruses in a way that sparks an immune response.

— adam rogers, WIRED, "The Man Who Says Science Blew Its Best Shot at an AIDS Vaccine," 1 June 2018
Johnston and his team found genetic variations in different kinds of cancer cells that are more likely to result in the body making immune responses.

— rachel leingang, azcentral, "A cancer vaccine for dogs? ASU scientist hopes tests will lead to major breakthrough," 11 May 2018
Engineering vaccines and drugs to include this generalized immune response should boost their effectiveness, the scientists say in a new study.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Overlooked antibodies play star role in fighting flu, Scripps Research-led study finds," 6 Apr. 2018
Seniors are often the hardest hit by seasonal influenza and its complications, as their immune response to the vaccine declines over time.

— meredith cohn, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland technology development agency awards grant to study stem cells for improving flu vaccine," 22 May 2018
Further testing showed that the mature T cells were revved up against maternal antigens, molecules from the mother that evoke an immune response, the researchers report today in Science Translational Medicine.

— jennifer couzin-frankel, Science | AAAS, "Could out-of-whack fetal immune systems prompt preterm labor?," 25 Apr. 2018
The therapy is risky, and some patients have died from uncontrolled immune responses.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Poseida raises $30.5 million for cancer cell therapy," 4 Apr. 2018
Speranza’s analysis found a handful of the monkeys’ genes kicking into gear as part of the innate immune response, the body’s first defense against disease, the university said.

— martin finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "BU study raises prospect of earlier diagnosis of deadly Ebola virus," 28 Mar. 2018
An allergic reaction is an immune response that releases cytokines, protein molecules used in communication between cells.

— elizabeth landau, CNN, "Sad in the spring? Allergy-mood link is real," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'immune response.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.