Immunologic Factor
defensin
Subclass of:
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
Definitions related to defensins:
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Family of cysteine rich, 29-35 amino acid, natural antibiotic peptides.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Family of antimicrobial peptides that have been identified in humans, animals, and plants. They are thought to play a role in host defenses against infections, inflammation, wound repair, and acquired immunity.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Highly conserved cysteine-rich peptides that play a role in host defense, and may be produced in response to microbial products or proinflammatory cytokines. Defensins bind to microbial cell membranes and can become aggregate either to form pore-like structures or to encapsulate the microbe. These peptide aggregates lead to destabilization of the cell membrane and, subsequently, to lysis of the microbe.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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