Experts in Medical & Radiologic Imaging
RADIOLOGY
SECOND OPINION
Medical Dictionary
T Chain
A glycoprotein found in a variety of external secretions (tears, bile, colostrum) usually complexed to secreted polymeric immunoglobulins (IMMUNOGLOBULIN A or, less frequently IMMUNOGLOBULIN M). It is derived, by proteolytic cleavage, from the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (RECEPTORS, POLYMERIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN) and probably functions to protect the immunoglobulins from proteolysis in the secretions. (From Rosen et al., The Dictionary of Immunology, 1989)
