Opsonised

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Marked by coating with opsonin proteins so that white blood cells can more readily engulf and destroy it
2. Treated with an antibody or complement protein that prepares a microbe or particle for ingestion by phagocytes
3. Describing a pathogen or particle that has been tagged by opsonins to make it easier for immune cells to consume

Etymology: "Opsonised" is the British spelling of "opsonized," the past tense and past participle of "opsonise," which means to coat a microbe or particle so that white blood cells can recognise and engulf it. The verb "opsonise" is built on the Greek "opsōnein," meaning "to buy provisions" or "to provide food for," from "opson," a cooked dish or relish eaten with bread. The sense shift from buying food to preparing the body's defenses for a meal is what gives the term its biological meaning: a coated bacterium is, in effect, made ready to be eaten.