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a Related Biological Terms:

chimaeric DNA

A hybrid molecule produced by combining DNA from two different species into a single polynucleotide.

chimaeric antibody

A chimeric antibody is a type of engineered antibody that is made by fusing parts of an antibody from one species (usually a mouse) with parts from another species (usually a human). This genetic engineering technique is used to create antibodies for therapeutic uses, particularly in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. Here are the key aspects of chimeric antibodies: 1. Composition: o The variable region (the antigen-binding part) of the antibody comes from a mouse antibody. o The constant region (the effector part, which interacts with the immune system) is derived from a human antibody. 2. Production: o Chimeric antibodies are typically produced using recombinant DNA technology. The genes encoding the mouse variable region and the human constant region are combined and inserted into expression systems, such as mammalian cell cultures, to produce the chimeric antibody. 3. Reduced Immunogenicity: o One of the main reasons for creating chimeric antibodies is to reduce the immunogenicity seen in murine (mouse) antibodies when used in humans. Human immune systems can recognize mouse antibodies as foreign and mount an immune response against them, reducing their effectiveness and potentially causing adverse reactions. o By replacing most of the mouse antibody structure with human parts, chimeric antibodies are less likely to be rejected by the human immune system. 4. Therapeutic Applications: o Chimeric antibodies have been developed for a variety of therapeutic applications, including oncology, rheumatology, and gastroenterology. o They are used both for direct therapeutic effects, such as targeting and killing cancer cells, and for modulating the immune response in autoimmune diseases. 5. First Generation of Therapeutic Antibodies: o Chimeric antibodies represent the first generation of engineered therapeutic antibodies. They were an important step forward from fully murine antibodies, offering improved clinical effectiveness and reduced side effects. 6. Further Developments: o Following chimeric antibodies, further advancements have been made in antibody engineering, leading to the development of engineered antibodyhumanized antibodies (where only the antigen-binding sites are from mice) and fully human antibodies. 7. Commercial Success: o Some chimeric antibodies have been highly successful in clinical use and have led to significant advancements in the treatment of diseases. In summary, chimeric antibodies are an important class of biopharmaceuticals that have significantly impacted the treatment of various diseases. Their development marked an important milestone in the field of therapeutic antibody engineering.

chimaeric protein

A protein product of a chimaeric DNA gene.

chimaeric toxin

(= immunotoxin (chimaeric toxin))

chip (oligonucleotide array)

In biotechnology, a component of a device for screening genomic or cDNA for mutations, polymorphisms or gene expression. A chip is a small (a few centimeters on each side) standardized glass or other solid surface on which thousands of immobilized oligodeoxynucleotide probes have been synthesized or robotically deposited in a predetermined array, so that automated recording of fluorescence from each of the spots may score successful hybridizations. A chip may be designed for the detection of all known genes of a species (human, mouse, yeast), or selected specific sequences. (see also small molecule library; differential hybridization)Southern, E.M. (1996) Trends genet. 12, 110-115; Anon. (1996) Nat. Gen. 14, 367-370; Borman, S. (1996) Chem. Engin. News 74 (50) 42-43; Goffeau, A. (1997) Nature (London) 385 Related tool: real time pcr

chirality

'Handedness'; the formal orientation in space of stereoisomers or potentially stereoisomeric compounds. (see also CIP classification; meso-carbon; Ogston hypothesis; prochirality; R; symmetry)Cahn, R.S., Ingold, C. and Prelog, V. (1966) Angew. Chem. 78, 413-447; Dodziuk, H. and Mirowicz, M. (1990) Tetrahedron Asymmetry 1, 171-186 Check our biology tool: real time pcr

chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay

A procedure for evaluation of the regulatory properties of eukaryotic promoter sequences. The CAT gene (which encodes an enzyme found only in bacteria) is used as a 'reporter gene' in that it is fused to a promoter sequence and introduced into a eukaryotic cell, where the ability of the promoter to cause the expression of the CAT gene is monitored by assay of the enzyme's activity; the assay may involve thin-layer chromatographic analysis of the conversion of [14C]chloramphenicol into acetyl [14C]chloramphenicol. Related tool: real time pcr

chloroplast

An organelle of a green plant cell in which light harvesting and ATP synthesis occur. (see also thylakoid membrane)

chromaffin granule

A dichromate-staining vesicle in cells that contains catecholamines or 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin); found for example in chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla.

chromatid

One of a pair of chromosomes.

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