IgE

American  

Immunology.

1. immunoglobulin E: a class of antibodies most abundant in tissue spaces, involved in the expulsion of intestinal parasites and causing allergic reactions by activating the release of histamines and leukotrienes in response to certain foreign antigens.

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Etymology

Origin of IgE

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

"Mast cells pack a punch, when activated by IgE antibodies they can be said to explode and release inflammatory factors into the skin -- this is what causes itching and hives."

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

Omalizumab is an injected antibody that binds and deactivates all types of immunoglobin E, or IgE, the allergy-causing molecule in the blood and on the body's immune cells.

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2024

“What we looked at here was the presence of IgE antibodies to food that were detected in blood samples,” Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, the study's lead author, said in the release.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2023

IgE antibodies bind to a specific allergen — say, pollen or peanut — and trigger release of the chemical histamine, which makes people sneeze, itch, swell up, and, occasionally, go into anaphylaxis.

From Salon • Aug. 15, 2023

IgA and IgD also have three constant domains per heavy chain, whereas IgM and IgE each have four constant domains per heavy chain.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022