AGGLUTINATION Meaning and
Definition
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Agglutination refers to the process of sticking or clumping together of particles or substances to form a larger mass or structure. It often involves the binding or joining of individual units through a specific mechanism or adhesive force.
In a biological context, agglutination describes the clumping of microorganisms or particles such as red blood cells due to the interaction between antigens and antibodies. When a foreign substance (antigen) enters the body, the immune system produces specific antibodies to bind to these antigens and neutralize them. Upon encountering these antigens, the antibodies bind to them, causing the particles to stick together, forming visible clumps. This process greatly aids in the identification and diagnosis of various diseases, such as blood typing, where agglutination reactions occur when antigens on red blood cells react with antibodies specific to blood type.
Agglutination also finds applications in other fields beyond biology. For instance, in linguistics, agglutination refers to a type of language morphology characterized by the addition of affixes or morphemes to a base word to indicate grammatical relationships. This method allows for a concise expression of complex grammatical structures by combining several elements into a single word.
In chemistry, agglutination occurs when particles or molecules come together and adhere to one another, forming aggregates or complexes. This phenomenon can be observed in colloidal solutions where particles dispersed in a solvent aggregate and settle, causing the formation of larger particles.
Overall, agglutination refers to the process of particles or substances clumping together under various circumstances, including biological, linguistic, and chemical domains.
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1. Loss of motility and aggregation in small masses of the microorganisms in a culture, when a specific immune serum is added. 2. Adhesion of the surfaces of a wound.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for AGGLUTINATION
Etymology of AGGLUTINATION
The word "agglutination" is derived from the Latin word "agglutinare", which means "to glue together". This Latin term, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix "ad-" (meaning "to") and the verb "glutinare" (meaning "to glue"). The concept of agglutination refers to the process of combining individual elements or particles to form a larger structure, just as glue sticks things together. In linguistics, agglutination specifically refers to the process of adding affixes to a base word to create new words or grammatical forms.
Similar spelling words for AGGLUTINATION
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