Types of antibodies

What Are Antibodies? The T cells are lymphocytes that bear T cell receptors on their surface and are part of the cell-mediated immune response. B cells are lymphocytes that produce antibodies upon encountering an antigen or disease-causing pathogen and form the humoral immune response. Antibodies, also known as Immunoglobulins are glycoproteins produced by the B lymphocytes upon encountering a pathogenic substance. The antigen produces and displays specific molecules on its cell surface that are recognized by the antibody. These Y-shaped proteins then bind to these molecules, leading to the destruction and elimination of the pathogen from the body. Check out the When a foreign substance such as a toxin or a pathogen enters the body, circulating B cells recognize certain cell-surface antigenic molecules and bind to it. This process causes the B cells to divide rapidly and form a group of identical mature B cells called a clone. These mature B cells are called Plasma cells which then secrete millions of antibodies into the bloodstream, thus activating the humoral immune response. As these antibodies circulate through the body, they encounter and recognize specific antigens and aid in their elimination. Although there are different classes of antibodies, that is discussed further on in the article, the general structure of all antibodies is the same. • They are fundamentally heavy globular proteins found in the plasma. The antibody molecule is made of four polypeptide chains ...