Medical Dictionary
Main Entry:
Ab·der·hal·den reaction Pronunciation:
'äp-d&r-"häl-d&n- Function:
noun : the occurrence in body fluids ofproteolytic enzymes specific for foreign proteins introduced into the body parenterally
Abderhalden, Emil (1877–1950) Swiss physiologist. Abderhalden is most noteworthyfor his investigations in biochemistry. He produced more than 1,000 publications, writing on such subjects as enzymes, hormones, amino acids, proteins, and nutrition. In 1909 he discovered that uponthe entry of a foreign protein into the blood, the bodily reaction is a defensive fermentation that causes disintegration of the protein. His name was given to the reaction. In 1912 he developed aserological test for pregnancy based on this reaction. The test proved to be unreliable, however, and in 1928 it was superseded by the Aschheim-Zondek test.
