target cell

1. 1.

   any cell that has a specific receptor for an antigen or antibody or hormone or drug, or is the focus of contact by a virus or phagocyte or nerve fiber etc.

   Broadersomatic cell
2. 2.

   an abnormal red blood cell with the appearance of a dark ring surrounding a dark center; associated with anemia

   Broaderred blood cell

Questions about target cell

What does target cell mean?

target cell means "any cell that has a specific receptor for an antigen or antibody or hormone or drug, or is the focus of contact by a virus or phagocyte or nerve fiber etc.". That is the primary sense; the word has 2 in total, listed in full on this page.

Is target cell a common word?

target cell is banded "Uncommon" — turns up in careful writing rather than conversation. The band comes from how often the word appears in a large corpus of everyday English, not from an editor's impression.