inoculation definition of inoculation in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

inoculation, in medicine, introduction of a preparation into the tissues or fluids of the body for the purpose of preventing or curing certain diseases. The preparation is usually a weakened culture of the agent causing the disease, as in vaccination vaccination, means of producing immunity against pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, by the introduction of live, killed, or altered antigens that stimulate the body to produce antibodies against more dangerous forms.
..... Click the link for more information. against smallpox; however, it may also be composed of antitoxins antitoxin, any of a group of antibodies formed in the body as a response to the introduction of poisonous products, or toxins . By introducing small amounts of a specific toxin into the healthy body, it is possible to stimulate the production of antitoxin so that the
..... Click the link for more information. , which provide immunity themselves, or toxoids toxoid, protein toxin treated by heat or chemicals so that its poisonous property is destroyed but its capacity to stimulate the formation of toxin antibodies , or antitoxins , remains.
..... Click the link for more information. , which are proteins that stimulate the body to produce antitoxins (see immunity immunity, ability of an organism to resist disease by identifying and destroying foreign substances or organisms. Although all animals have some immune capabilities, little is known about nonmammalian immunity.
..... Click the link for more information. ). Various forms of inoculation were used from ancient times in China, India, and Persia, but it remained for the English physician Edward Jenner in the late 18th cent. to demonstrate its feasibility to the Western world. The term inoculation is used also to refer to the introduction of certain substances into plant tissues or to the placement of microorganisms into culture media (for experimental or diagnostic purposes) or into the soil.

inoculation [i‚näk·yə′lā·shən]

(biology)

Introduction of a disease agent into an animal or plant to produce a mild form of disease and render the individual immune.

(metallurgy)

Treating a molten material with another material before casting in order to nucleate crystals.

(microbiology)

Introduction of microorganisms onto or into a culture medium.

Inoculation

The process of introducing a microorganism or suspension of microorganism into a culture medium. The medium may be (1) a solution of nutrients required by the organism or a solution of nutrients plus agar; (2) a cell suspension (tissue culture); (3) embryonated egg culture; or (4) animals, for example, rat, mouse, guinea pig, hamster, monkey, birds, or human being. When animals are used, the purpose usually is the activation of the immunological defenses against the organism. This is a form of vaccination, and quite often the two terms are used interchangeably. Both constitute a means of producing an artificial but active immunity against specific organisms, although the length of time given by such protection may vary widely with different organisms. See Immunity, Vaccination

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inoculation