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Each antibody binds to a specific antigen in a highly specific interaction analogous to a lock and key.. An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as bacteria and viruses, including those that cause disease.
An antibody is made up of two heavy chains and two light chains. The unique variable region allows an antibody to recognize its matching antigen. [73] A B cell identifies pathogens when antibodies on its surface bind to a specific foreign antigen. [74] This antigen/antibody complex is taken up by the B cell and processed by proteolysis into ...
The first correct description of the antigen-antibody reaction was given by Richard J. Goldberg at the University of Wisconsin in 1952. [1] [2] It came to be known as "Goldberg's theory" (of antigen-antibody reaction). [3] There are several types of antibodies and antigens, and each antibody is capable of binding only to a specific antigen.
Humoral immunity is also referred to as antibody-mediated immunity. The study of the molecular and cellular components that form the immune system , including their function and interaction, is the central science of immunology .
Secondary antibodies provide signal detection and amplification along with extending the utility of an antibody through conjugation to proteins. [1] Secondary antibodies are especially efficient in immunolabeling. Secondary antibodies bind to primary antibodies, which are directly bound to the target antigen(s).
The complement system is a biochemical cascade of the immune system that helps, or "complements", the ability of antibodies to clear pathogens or mark them for destruction by other cells. The cascade is composed of many plasma proteins, synthesized in the liver, primarily by hepatocytes. The proteins work together to:
Antibodies in the antiserum bind the infectious agent or antigen. [19] The immune system then recognizes foreign agents bound to antibodies and triggers a more robust immune response . The use of antiserum is particularly effective against pathogens which are capable of evading the immune system in their unstimulated state but are not robust ...
The immune network theory is a theory of how the adaptive immune system works, that has been developed since 1974 mainly by Niels Jerne [1] and Geoffrey W. Hoffmann. [2] [3] The theory states that the immune system is an interacting network of lymphocytes and molecules that have variable (V) regions.