autoreactive
adjective
au·to·re·ac·tive
ˌȯt-ō-rē-ˈak-tiv 
: produced by an organism and acting against its own cells or tissues
It has been presumed that autoreactive B cells, like normal B cells, accumulate in the follicles of lymphoid tissues after encountering antigen and begin to proliferate, producing high-affinity autoantibodies and forming germinal centers.—
Yang-Xin Fu and Ursula Storb, Science
Yang-Xin Fu and Ursula Storb, Science
autoreactivity
noun
plural autoreactivities
At the same time, autoreactivity of B cells and T cells is present in all normal persons, and a complex set of regulatory mechanisms is required to prevent overt destruction of tissue through autoimmunity.
—Peter K. Gregersen, The New England Journal of Medicine
Peter K. Gregersen, The New England Journal of Medicine
Dictionary Entries Near autoreactive
Cite this Entry
“Autoreactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/autoreactive. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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