Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) is a type of antibody that is directed against certain proteins found in the cytoplasm of neutrophil granulocytes (the most common type of white blood cell) and monocytes.
Pronunciation
The term is pronounced as /ˌæntiːnjuːˈtrɪfɪl ˈsaɪtəˌplæzmɪk ˈæntɪbɒdi/.
Etymology
The term "Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody" is derived from its function. "Anti-" is a prefix meaning against, "neutrophil" refers to the type of white blood cell it targets, "cytoplasmic" refers to the location within the cell where the target proteins are found, and "antibody" refers to the type of protein it is.
Types of ANCA
There are two main types of ANCA, which are distinguished by their staining pattern in indirect immunofluorescence: c-ANCA (cytoplasmic) and p-ANCA (perinuclear).
Clinical significance
ANCA are particularly associated with certain forms of vasculitis, including granulomatosis with polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and microscopic polyangiitis. The presence of ANCA can be used as a diagnostic tool, but it is not specific enough to be used alone.
Related terms
- Vasculitis
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Microscopic polyangiitis
- Neutrophil granulocytes
- Antibody
- Cytoplasm
- Monocytes
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
- Wikipedia's article - Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
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