1. treated with opsonins; rendered more susceptible to destruction by phagocytes
Usage: medical/immunology term; technical

1. past tense and past participle of opsonize; to treat (a pathogen or foreign particle) with opsonins to make it more susceptible to phagocytosis
Usage: medical/immunology term; technical

Examples

• The bacteria were opsonized by antibodies in the patient's serum.
• Opsonized pathogens are more readily engulfed by white blood cells.
• The immune system opsonized the invading microorganisms to enhance their clearance.
• Complement proteins opsonized the viral particles, marking them for destruction.
• Opsonized antigens trigger a faster immune response than uncoated ones.