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calprotectin
This term is a highly specialized medical biomarker used primarily in gastroenterology. It is used to distinguish between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, and non-inflammatory conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Because it is a protein released by neutrophils during an inflammatory response, its presence in stool samples provides a non-invasive window into the state of the intestinal mucosa.
As a biochemical substance and a protein, the term is treated as an uncountable noun in clinical and laboratory contexts. It refers to the substance itself rather than individual molecules, meaning it does not typically take a plural form in medical reporting.
Ý nghĩa
A calcium- and zinc-binding protein found primarily in the cytosol of neutrophils and other leukocytes, which serves as a biomarker for intestinal inflammation when detected in fecal samples.
The patient's fecal calprotectin levels were significantly elevated, suggesting active Crohn's disease.