histocompatibility antigen

American  

noun

Immunology.

1. any antigen on the surface of tissue or blood cells that provokes the immune response and subsequent rejection when transplanted to an individual of a different antigenic type, thus determining whether the tissues or organs of a donor and recipient are histocompatible.

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histocompatibility antigen British  

noun

1. a molecule occurring on the surface of tissue cells that can take several different forms. The differences between histocompatibility antigens are inherited and determine organ transplant rejection

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Etymology

Origin of histocompatibility antigen

First recorded in 1965–70