immunotoxin

[ im-yuh-noh-tok-sin, ih-myoo- ]

noun

, Immunology.

1. a monoclonal antibody linked to a toxin with the intention of destroying a specific target cell while leaving adjacent cells intact.

Word History and Origins

Origin of immunotoxin¹

immuno- + toxin

Example Sentences

Writing in the Scientist magazine in 1990, journalist Paul McCarthy entertained the notion that, “palytoxin may be mounted on antibodies instead of spears for use as an immunotoxin in attacking cancer cells.”

From Washington Post

For the Wisconsin study, researchers injected mice with an immunotoxin to destroy a part of their brains—the hippocampus—that's associated with learning, memory, and spatial reasoning.

From Slate

Related Words

• antibody