Production and Mechanism of Action

The immune system can identify foreign substances when they enter the body because the antigen’s surface molecules are different from those found in the body. The immune system uses a number of methods, including one of the most crucial ones, antibody production, to get rid of the pathogen.

B lymphocytes, often known as B cells, are specialized white blood cells that produce antibodies. A clone is a collection of identical cells that are created when a B cell divides and matures in response to an antigen binding to the B cell surface. Millions of antibodies are secreted into the lymphatic and circulation by mature B cells, also known as plasma cells.

Mechanism of Action of Antibodies

Mechanism of action of the antibodies is as follows:

• Antibodies recognize foreign substance or pathogen and bind to antigens.
• Antibodies neutralize the activity or function of pathogens by binding to them. It prevent pathogen from interacting with host cells.
• Antibodies increases phagocytosis by binding to pathogens. It mark them for destruction by phagocytic cells such as macrophages and neutrophils.
• Antibodies can destroy the pathogens through different processes like:

1. Cause the aggregation of pathogens that make it easier for phagocytes to engulf and eliminate pathogens.
2. Cause soluble antigens to become insoluble. It forms immune complexes that are more easily removed by phagocytic cells.
3. It cross-link multiple antigens that result in the formation of large complexes that are easily removedby immune cells.
4. Can stimulate NK cells to release cytotoxic substances. It results in elimination of infected or abnormal cells.

• Antibodies play an important role immunological memory. When the same antigen enters the body the memory B cells quickly produce a antibody response. It provides a faster and more effective immune reaction.

Antibodies shows various mode of actions to eliminate, neutralize, and regulate immune responses. It contribute to the body’s defense against pathogens and foreign substances.

Antibody proteins are Y-shaped proteins that recognize and neutralize pathogens in the immune system. Antibodies play an important role in immune defense. Antibody structure consists of four polypeptide chains—two heavy and two light—and they form a distinctive structure with variable and constant regions.

There are five main types of antibodies: IgM, IgG, IgA, IgD, and IgE, each having a specific role in the immune responses. Antibody functions include recognizing and binding to specific antigens, marking them for destruction or neutralization by the immune system. In this article, we will study antibody structure, function, types, and differences between antibodies and antigens.