Opsonizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The action of tagging foreign substances for recognition by the immune system to enhance phagocytosis
2. A process where antibodies or complement proteins mark pathogens for destruction by immune cells
3. The mechanism by which certain molecules increase the susceptibility of antigens to engulfment by immune cells

Etymology: "Opsonizes" is the third-person singular form of "opsonize," which means to coat a germ or other particle so that white blood cells can more easily engulf it. The verb is built from "opson," a term borrowed from ancient Greek "opsōnion," meaning relish or cooked food eaten with bread, and the suffix "-ize," which turns a noun into a verb meaning to treat in a particular way or make into something. The link between a snack and an immune response is a metaphor. Antibodies and complement proteins act as a kind of seasoning, making a microbe palatable to phagocytes, the cells that consume invaders. The idea was that the coated particle had been made tasty for the immune system, which is how the word came to describe germs being made edible.

Synonyms: tags, marks, labels, flags, targets

Antonyms: hides, conceals, protects, shields, covers