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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.
In immunology, passive immunity is the transfer of active humoral immunity of ready-made antibodies.Passive immunity can occur naturally, when maternal antibodies are transferred to the fetus through the placenta, and it can also be induced artificially, when high levels of antibodies specific to a pathogen or toxin (obtained from humans, horses, or other animals) are transferred to non-immune ...
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 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 .
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 .
A representation of the cholera epidemic of the 19th century. For thousands of years mankind has been intrigued with the causes of disease and the concept of immunity. The prehistoric view was that disease was caused by supernatural forces, and that illness was a form of theurgic punishment for "bad deeds" or "evil thoughts" visited upon the soul by the gods or by one's enemies. [8]
Isoantibodies, formerly called alloantibodies, are antibodies produced by an individual against isoantigens produced by members of the same species. In the case of the species Homo sapiens, for example, there are a significant number of antigens that are different in every individual. When antigens from another individual are introduced into ...
A microantibody is an artificial short chain of amino acids copied from a fully functional natural antibody. Microantibodies can stop viruses such as HIV from infecting cells in vitro. [1] Antibodies are produced naturally by the body and play a key role in fighting infections caused by bacteria and viruses.