noun
- Plural of alexine; substances in blood serum that have antibacterial or antimicrobial properties; complement proteins.
Usage: technical; immunology; archaic or historical term; modern usage prefers 'complement' or 'complement proteins'
Examples
- Early immunologists studied alexines as part of understanding the body's natural defenses.
- The discovery of alexines contributed to the development of modern immunology.
- Alexines were identified as heat-labile substances in serum that could destroy bacteria.