Definition

A chemical substance made by certain fungi that helps prevent the immune system from rejecting transplanted organs by stopping T cell activation.

Example

Doctors often prescribe cyclosporin to patients after an organ transplant to help their bodies accept the new organ.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new treatment using cyclosporin?

Yeah, I read that it helps with organ transplants.

It's fascinating how cyclosporin works to suppress the immune response.

I know, right? It's amazing how far medicine has come.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cyclosporin is formed from "cyclo-" (from Greek "kyklos", meaning circle) and "spor-" (from Greek "spora", meaning seed). The word refers to a cyclic peptide that acts as an immunosuppressant, with its structure resembling a circle of amino acids.

Memory Tip

Think of 'circle' ('cyclo-') and 'seed' ('spor-') to remember that cyclosporin is a circular structure that acts like a seed in the immune system.

Visually Confused Words