TARGET CELL

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does target cell mean? 

• TARGET CELL (noun)
  The noun TARGET CELL has 2 senses:

1. any cell that has a specific receptor for an antigen or antibody or hormone or drug, or is the focus of contact by a virus or phagocyte or nerve fiber etc.

2. an abnormal red blood cell with the appearance of a dark ring surrounding a dark center; associated with anemia

  Familiarity information: TARGET CELL used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TARGET CELL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any cell that has a specific receptor for an antigen or antibody or hormone or drug, or is the focus of contact by a virus or phagocyte or nerve fiber etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("target cell" is a kind of...):

somatic cell; vegetative cell (any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells; a cell that does not participate in the production of gametes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An abnormal red blood cell with the appearance of a dark ring surrounding a dark center; associated with anemia

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("target cell" is a kind of...):

erythrocyte; RBC; red blood cell (a mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues; a biconcave disc that has no nucleus)

 Context examples 

Expression of Fas-Ligand by T cells can induce apoptosis through interaction with Fas on the target cell.

(Bystander B Cell Activation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

These cells do possess Fc receptors for IgG and can kill target cells using antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

(Murine Natural Killer Cells, NCI Thesaurus)

Target cells regulate neuronal survival by producing neurotrophic factors, such as NGF and BDNF, which show sequence similarity.

(Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, NCI Thesaurus)

When CTLs are activated by recognition of specific antigen on a cell, they release perforin proteins that integrate into the membrane of the target cell and organize to form a membrane pore.

(CTL-mediated Immune Response Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

IC83 appears to target cell cycle checkpoint/DNA repair enzymes, which are involved in the recognition and repair of damaged DNA and are overexpressed in many types of cancer cells.

(Cell Cycle Checkpoint/DNA Repair Antagonist IC83, NCI Thesaurus)

Any process which promotes expression of colony stimulating factors, their subsequent secretion, binding to their cognate receptors or intracellular signaling, and results in proliferation and differentiation of the target cell.

(Colony Stimulating Factor Signaling Process, NCI Thesaurus)

Their study revealed the pre-fusion configuration of gp41 and detailed the rearrangements needed for Env to fuse with target cells.

(The Structure and Dynamics of HIV Surface Spikes, NIH)

Cytokines are released by various cells in the body, usually in response to an activating stimulus, and they induce responses through binding to specific receptors on the cell surface of target cells.

(Cytokine-Cytokine Receptor Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

Cytotoxic T cells also express Fas ligand to bind to Fas on target cells and induce apoptosis.

(Cytotoxic T Cell Surface Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This allele, which encodes cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIIa-related protein, mitochondrial protein, plays a putative role in regulating a higher level of energy production in estrogen target cells.

(COX7A2L wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)