Aerate. To mix or supply with air or gas. The particular process is known as ‘aeration’.

10. Aerate. To mix or supply with air or gas. The particular process is known as ‘aeration’.

11. Aerobic or Aerobiotic. It specifically refers to an organism which either lives in or a phenom-

enon taking place in the persence of molecular oxygen (i.e., O 2 -gas).

12. Adjuvants. Substances that enhance immunological response to vaccine and may be incorpo- rated to vaccines to slow down absorption and increase effectiveness : substances that enhance the action of an antigen or a drug.

13. Affinity. It refers to the precise strength of binding of each separate antibody combining site with its corresponding antigenic determinant.

14. Agglutination. Clumping or aggregation of cells due to the reaction of surface bound antigens with homologous antibodies.

15. Allergen. An atigen that induces an allergic response.

16. Allosteric. Refers to a binding site in a protein usually an enzyme. The catalytic function of an enzyme can be duly modified by the introduction of small molecules, not only confined to the ‘active site’, but also at a ‘spatially distinct (allosteric) site’ having an altogether different specificity. An allosteric effector is a molecule bound at such a site that enhances or lowers the activity of the enzyme.

GLOSSARY

17. Allosteric Enzymes. Enzymes with a binding and catalytic site for the substrate and a different site where a modulator (i.e., allosteric factor) usually acts.

ease in plants, besides inducing tumour to form. The Ti plasmid of A. tumefaciens is known to initiate and cause the disease ; and a part of it is invariably utilized as vector in the ensuing genetic modification of higher plant cells.

19. Alkaline Phosphatase. An enzyme that catalyzes hydrolyses of monophosphate ester moiety from specific compounds, such as : 3 ′ - and 5 ′ - terminal ends of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and nucleotides.

20. Ammonification. The release of ammonia (NH 3 ) gas from the nitrogenous organic matter by

microbial action.

21. Anaphylactic shock. Physiological shock resulting from an anaphylactic hypersensitivity re- action, invariably followed by death in extremely severe instances e.g., penicillin-anaphylactic shock.

22. Anaphylactic Hypersensitivity. An observed exaggerated immune response either to foreign protein or other substances involving degranulation of mast-cells and subsequent release of

histamine.

23. Anchorage Dependent Cell. A cell which will exclusively grow and multiply when in close contact with a suitable solid support i.e., several animal cell-lines.

24. Anti-idiotype Antibody. An antibody having the properties of an antigen.

25. Antibody. A glycoprotein molecule produced in the body in response to the introduction of an antigen or hapten that can react with the antigen. It is also termed as immunoglobulin, that is essentially a part of the serum fraction of the blood formed in response to the antigenic stimulus, and which eventually reacts with antigens with utmost specificity.

26. Antibody-Mediated Immunity. Immunity caused by the activation of the B-lymphocyte popu- lation thereby giving rise to the production of several categories of antibodies.

27. Antibody-Dependent Cytotoxic Hypersensitivity. It is a Type II hypersensitivity in which an antigen present on the surface of a cell combines with an antibody, resulting in the death of that cell by stimulating phagocytic attack or initiating the complement pathway.

28. Antiserum. A serum that specifically contains a mixture of antibodies raised against a particu- lar antigen is referred to as antiserum to that antigen.

29. Antitoxin. An antibody to a toxin capable of reacting with that ‘poison’ and also neutralizing the toxin produced.

30. Autoimmunity. Immunity or hypersensitivity to certain constituent in one’s own body i.e., im- mune-reaction with self-antigens.

31. Antifoam. A compound added to bioreactors so as to reduce the production of foam viz., surfaceactive agents.

32. Antioxidant. A substance which is sometimes added to the solutions to either prevent or inhibit

oxidative process.

33. Aseptic Technique. Procedures emplopyed to prevent the introduction of bacteria, fungi, viruses, mycoplasma or other organisms into cell tissue and organ cultures.

PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

34. Aspirate. To draw something in or out, up or through using suction or a vacuum (i.e., negative pressure) ; as aspiration (vacuum) may be employed in the ‘disinfection process’ to draw disinfectant right into the surface layers of plant tissue.

35. Assay. The ‘substance’ to be analyzed quantitatively or the process of examining or testing it either by chemical means or by other suitable means.

36. Attenuation. A process of minimizing the virulence of a pathogen.