Word of the Day
Sera (SEER-uh)
· Common clues: Some vaccines, Blood fluids
· Crossword puzzle frequency: once a month
· Frequency in English language: 22675 / 86800
Definitions:
The clear amber-colored fluids obtained upon separating whole blood into its solid and liquid components after they have been allowed to coagulate.
Blood fluids obtained from the tissues of immunized animals, containing antibodies and used to transfer immunity to another individual.
Diptheria
Antitoxin produced by the Hygienic Laboratory, 1895.
An antitoxin is an antibody with the ability to neutralize a specific toxin. Antitoxins are produced by certain animals, plants, and bacteria. Although they are most effective in neutralizing toxins, they can kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Antitoxins are made within organisms, but can be injected into other organisms, including humans. This procedure involves injecting an animal with a safe amount of a particular toxin. Then, the animal’s body makes the antitoxin needed to neutralize the toxin. Later, the blood is withdrawn from the animal. When the antitoxin is obtained from the blood, it is purified so it can be injected into a human or other animal.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Antitoxin".
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