major histocompatibility complex
MAY-jer his-toh-kom-pat-ih-BIL-ih-tee KOM-pleks
ˈmeɪdʒər ˌhɪstoʊkəmˌpætɪˈbɪlɪti ˈkɒmplɛksListen
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Dictionary meaning
a large genomic region encoding cell-surface proteins that present peptide antigens to T lymphocytes, enabling the adaptive immune system to detect and respond to intracellular infections, tumours, and foreign tissues; MHC class I molecules, present on virtually all nucleated cells, present endogenous peptides to cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, while MHC class II molecules, expressed on antigen-presenting cells, present exogenous peptides to helper CD4+ T cells; the MHC region is the most polymorphic in the human genome, and MHC matching between donor and recipient is critical in organ transplantation to prevent rejection
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