noun
- A substance in blood serum that destroys bacteria and other microorganisms; an antibody or complement.
Usage: archaic; medical/immunology; largely replaced by modern terms like 'antibody' and 'complement'
Examples
- Early immunologists studied alexines as part of understanding the body's natural defenses.
- The discovery of alexines in blood serum was an important step in the development of immunology.
- Researchers in the late 19th century attributed bactericidal activity to alexines present in serum.