noun
- Proteins, especially viral proteins, that cause red blood cells to clump together; plural of haemagglutinin.
Usage: technical; biology/medicine; chiefly British spelling; American spelling is hemagglutinins
Examples
- The influenza virus uses haemagglutinins to attach to host cells.
- Haemagglutinins on the surface of red blood cells determine blood type compatibility.
- Researchers studied how haemagglutinins trigger immune responses in infected patients.
- The vaccine targets specific haemagglutinins found on seasonal flu strains.
- Haemagglutinins are key antigens used in diagnostic blood tests.