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light chain
noun
: either of the two smaller of the four polypeptide chains comprising antibodies compare heavy chain
Examples of light chain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The daratumumab antibody sticks to the problem immune cells that are churning out light chain.
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Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023
This should eliminate the cells that were spewing out the problem light chain protein.
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Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023
Strangely, the students found only heavy chain proteins in the blood even though antibodies were supposed to also have light chains.
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Christina Szalinski, Discover Magazine, 22 Feb. 2023
The team also measured the samples for neurofilament light chain, a biomarker of nerve degeneration that increases in people with MS.
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Kenneth Miller, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022
Two of the key markers — kappa/lambda light chain and of monoclonal protein in the bone marrow — are down from wildly high to within sight of normal.
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Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2021
Neurofilament light chain, for example, is a structural protein that maintains neurons' axons, which transmit signals to other neurons.
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ABC News, 7 Nov. 2021
The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative recently reported that measurements of plasma neurofilament-light chain (NfL) can predict the trajectory of decline.
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Sam Gandy, STAT, 17 June 2021
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Word History
First Known Use
1962, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near light chain
Cite this Entry
“Light chain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20chain. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Medical Definition
light chain
noun
: either of the two smaller of the four polypeptide chains that are subunits of antibodies
called also L chain
compare heavy chainMore from Merriam-Webster on light chain
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about light chain
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