Anti-mitochondrial antibody
Anti-mitochondrial antibody
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) (pronunciation: an-tee-my-toh-kon-dree-al an-ti-bod-eez) are autoantibodies, produced by the immune system, that primarily target the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells.
Etymology
The term "anti-mitochondrial antibody" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, "mitos" meaning thread, and "chondrion" meaning granule. This refers to the antibodies' action against the thread-like granules (mitochondria) within cells.
Definition
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies are a type of autoantibody, which are antibodies produced by the immune system that mistakenly target and react with a person's own tissues or organs. AMAs specifically target the mitochondria, the structures within cells responsible for producing energy.
Clinical Significance
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies are most commonly associated with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), a chronic disease that damages the bile ducts in the liver. They are present in 90-95% of individuals with PBC and in 5-10% of their family members, but are rarely found in other diseases. Therefore, the presence of AMAs in a patient's blood can be a strong indicator of PBC.
Related Terms
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Anti-mitochondrial antibody
- Wikipedia's article - Anti-mitochondrial antibody
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski