alpha-fetoprotein

American

[al-fuh-fee-toh-proh-teen, -tee-in] / ˌæl fəˌfi toʊˈproʊ tin, -ti ɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

a serum protein produced during pregnancy, useful in the prenatal diagnosis of multiple births or birth defects. AFP

alpha-fetoprotein British

/ ˌælfəˌfiːtəʊˈprəʊtiːn /

noun

afp. a protein that forms in the liver of the human fetus. Excessive quantities in the amniotic fluid and maternal blood may indicate spina bifida in the fetus; low levels may point to Down's syndrome

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

alpha-fetoprotein Scientific

/ ăl′fə-fē′tō-prō′tēn /

An antigen produced in the liver of a fetus that can appear in certain diseases of adults, such as liver cancer. Its level in amniotic fluid can be used in the detection of certain fetal abnormalities, including Down syndrome and spina bifida.

Etymology

Origin of alpha-fetoprotein

First recorded in 1970–75; alpha + fet(us) + -o- + protein

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ms. Bell’s result was troubling: Alpha-fetoprotein turned up in her blood, which can signal liver or ovarian cancer.

From New York Times

Studies have shown that women with preeclampsia have lower estrogen levels, which are associated with reduced breast-cancer risk, and elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin, pregnancy-related hormones believed to have tumor-suppressing properties, the researchers said.

From The Wall Street Journal

By measuring the levels of estriol, alpha-fetoprotein, and several other substances in a pregnant woman, the test assigns a certain probability to each defect.

From Slate

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023