What Is An Antibody Antibodies And The Immune System - Essay Example

What is an antibody? Introduction Human bodies as well as the body of other animals are constantly faced by the risk of infection from various disease agents. This being the case, there is a need to have a mechanism that deals with protecting the body against infections, and fighting against the infections in the event that the disease agents have succeeded in infecting the body. Thus, the body has a system of armies that fight against infections, amongst them being the antibody (Cairo & Weiner, 2002 p56). Despite the body having different types of infection fighting agents, they have been specialized differently, such that each agent has an area of specialization, regarding the type of infection it fights and the regions from where it operates. Most significant is the differentiating fact between the antibody and other disease fighting agents in the body. While some disease fighting agents are localized in certain regions or organs of the body, the antibody keeps moving around the entire body, while seeking to counter any form of infection that the body could have encountered (Borghesi, 2006 p27). Thus, this discussion seeks to understand what is an antibody?, with a view to establishing its location in the body, the role it plays, the amount of the antibody found in the human body and how the antibody executes its protection functions in the body. The process through which the antibody moves in the body, its adaptation to its protection function and how the antibody is generated in the body also forms the subject of this discussion. Definition of an antibody An antibody is a protein substance that is large and designed in a Y-shape, which identifies, surrounds and binds foreign substances in the body, such as the bacteria or viruses, so that they can be destroyed and removed from the body (Buchner, Feige & Hendershot, 2000 p192). Therefore, it is worth noting that antibodies do not play the actual role of destroying the foreign substances that may cause infection to the body, but rather recognizes, identifies, surrounds and binds such foreign substances, sending a signal to the other body fighting mechanism regarding the presence of foreign bodies. This prompts the body disease fighting mechanism to respond by sending scavenger cells to the region where the antibodies have surrounded and bound the foreign bodies, to destroy them and then flush them out of the body (Campbell, 1984 p22). Generation of antibodies in the human body The human immune system consists of a variety of disease fighting agents. While the whole immune system comprises of the organs, tissues and specialized cells, there are other disease fighting agents, which are found in the form of proteins or vitamins (Kontermann & Dubel, 2010 p72). The agents that invade and cause infection to the body are called the antigens. When the immune system discovers the presence of the antigens in the body, it triggers the cells to respond, by triggering the B lymphocytes (plasma cells) to develop and release antibodies, which then identifies, surrounds and binds the foreign substances, keeping them ready for destruction and removal out of the body (Borghesi, 2006 p29). The manufacture and release of the antibodies is wholesomely done by a form of white blood cells known as the plasma cells, which are found within the lymphocytes (Macpherson, 2011 p107). classes of antibodies Antibodies are found in different forms within the body, where every type is specialized to operate with certain regions of the body, dealing with specific body tissues. These different types are called classes or isotopes (Buchner, Feige & Hendershot, 2000 p195). In the mammals, a group within which human beings fall, the body has five types of antibodies: IgA This is the first class of the antibodies, which is mainly found in the mucosal areas (Weeks & Alcamo, 2008 p17). This type of antibodies are found in areas such as the gut and the respiratory tract , in addition to being found in the major body fluids such as the saliva, tears, and breast milk (Cairo & Weiner, 2002 p60). This type of antibodies plays the role of preventing the colonization of the body by various pathogens. IgD This is another class of antibody that acts as an antigen receptor, which is found in the B cells. This type of antibodies prevents the B cells from being infected by the antigens, since it intercepts and receives them just before they attack the B cells (Campbell, 1984 p26). This type of antibody also serves to activate the mast cells and the basophils, which in turn produces the antimicrobial factors that effectively prevent the antigens from attacking the B cells (Sherwood, 2007 p63). IgE This is a class of antibody that prevents the body against parasitic worms (Kontermann & Dubel, 2010 p59). This type of antibodies binds the parasitic worms and the allergens together, and then triggers the mast cells and the basophils to release histamine, which specifically deals with allergy agents, preventing such agents from remaining in the body. IgG This is the class of antibodies that is known to entail the provision of most of the antibody-based immunity against most of the pathogens that attacks the body (Macpherson, 2011 p84). This type of antibody is specialized in releasing agents that gives the body immunity, especially for the pregnant women. The IgG antibody class has the special ability of crossing over the placenta, to provide immunity to the fetus against any attacks (Resnik, 168). IgM This is the last class of antibodies, which serves to complement the IgG class of antibody, whenever there is a shortage of these cells. The IgM antibody class removes pathogens in the early stages of B cells (Weeks & Alcamo, 2008 p19). How the antibodies execute their functions The antibody is a Y-shaped protein agent, which is used by the body immune system to identify, surround, bind and neutralize foreign substances that invades the body, in readiness for the other components of the body immune system to remove the foreign substances from the body (Cairo & Weiner, 2002 p67). To achieve this, the antibody first detects the invading foreign bodies and then applies the two tips of the Y-shaped structure to get hold of the invading antigens and bind them together, preventing them from commencing further into the body to cause infections. After the antigens are bound together, the antibody can then prompt other components of the immune system to act on the antigens, for example by blocking the vital part of the microbe, which is essential for it to survive in the body or to cause infections (Campbell, 1984 p20). Once the microbe is attacked and disabled, then the other components of the immune system can work towards flushing the inactivated antigens out of the body. Antibodies normally occur in two different forms, the soluble form and the insoluble form, which is bound by a membrane that allows it to attach to the B cells (Borghesi, 2006 p31). While the soluble form of antibody serves to identify and bind the foreign substances in the body together awaiting their destruction and removal from the body, the membrane bound antibodies, also referred to as the B cell receptor (BCR), plays two different roles. First, they cause the activation of activation of the B cells to form the antibody factories, which are also known as the plasma cells (Kent, 2000 p34). This serves to ensure that there are sufficient plasma cells that continue to produce the necessary antibodies anytime they are required to fight an infection. Alternatively, the B cell receptor (BCR) also plays the role of forming the Memory B cells, which are left to survive in the body and keep the memory of the previous antigen that had attacked the body, and thus reserve the memory for the same antigen, allowing the B cells to respond actively and faster, on the event that the same antigen attacks the body in future (Sherwood, 2007 p61). Antibodies and the immune system The human body possesses antibodies in millions, which moves through the blood flowing system allowing them to access all parts of the body and achieve their functions. The moment the antibodies are produced by the B lymphocyte cells, they continue to exist and survive in the body, while reacting to any form of invasion brought about by antigens (Lloyd, 2010 p15). Through the formation of the Memory B cells, the memory of the antigen that attacked the body remains within the antibodies, which allows them to react swiftly on the event that the same antigen attempts to attack the body again. This eventually forms a concrete immune system of prepared antibodies, which have specialized in countering different infections. It is this continued production of the antibodies prepared to respond to specific antigens that eventually forms the basis of immunizations (Buchner, Feige & Hendershot, 2000 p198). The immunization system serves to introduce the antigens into the body in a neutralized form that no longer makes the body sick. However, antibodies are not capable of destroying antigens. Therefore, they have to rely on other components of the immune system to assist in the destruction of the antigens. This is where the collaboration between the antibodies and the T-cells, also referred to as the killer cells is vital (Kent, 2000 p41). The T-cells destroys either antigens that have been bound together by the antibodies or destroys the body cells that have already been infected, to prevent further infection of other body cells by the infected cells. The antibodies are also capable of neutralizing the toxic substances that are released by the parasitic organisms that attack the body. They also function in the immune system by activating other components of the system known as complements, which in turn helps to kill the bacteria, viruses and cells that have already been infected (Borghesi, 2006 p28). Adaptation of the antibody to its functions The antibodies are well adapted to their functions, through the shape that they possess. The antibodies are designed in a Y-shaped structure, which allows them ease of attack on the foreign substances that affect the body (Weeks & Alcamo, 2008 p23). With the Y-shape, the antibodies have two points of hooking the invading foreign agents in the body and then binding them together, awaiting their destruction by the T-cells and the other components of the human immune system. The second adaptation of the antibodies to their function is the possession of the membrane bound structures capable of binding themselves on the B cells and activating the B-cells to continue producing the plasma cells, which in turn acts as the factories from which more antibodies are manufactured and released, whenever there is a threat of infection (Cairo & Weiner, 2002 p44). The possession of the memory capability is yet another adaptation of the antibodies to their functions. The antibodies, specifically the B cell receptor (BCR), are capable of retaining the memory of the nature and form of an antigen that attacks the body at one particular time, and preserves the memory in readiness to respond swiftly and effectively whenever such an antigen invades the body in future. Further, the antibodies are adapted to their functions through their existence in two forms, namely the membrane bound and the soluble form. While the membrane bound antibody specifically enhances the production of more antibodies, as well as retaining of the invader antigen memory, the soluble form works towards crossing over the placenta to give the fetus protection against attack by any invader pathogens (Lloyd, 2010 p18). This adaptation helps to ensure that the fetus remains safe from infection, even on the event that the pregnant mother is already infected by the invading antigens. Conclusion Antibodies are forms of proteins that are produced by the plasma cells found in the B cell lymphocytes, which helps to protect the body against infection. Antibodies are subdivided into various classes, also known as isotopes, which specialize in different functionality, as well as operating in different parts of the body. The function of antibodies is to protect the body against antigens, through binding the antigens together, and waiting for the other components of the immune system to destroy and flush them out of the body. Antibodies are adapted to their functions severally, including existence in both soluble and membrane bound forms, which enables the soluble form to move across the placenta and help protect the fetus against infection, on the event that the pregnant mother is infected. The membrane bound antibodies works towards retaining the memory of invading antigens, thus preparing to effectively and swiftly counter them, on the event that they attack the body in future. References Borghesi L, Milcarek C. (2006). "From B cell to plasma cell: regulation of antibody recombination and antibody secretion". Immunol Research 36 (13), 27–32. Buchner J, Feige, M & Hendershot L. (2000). "How antibodies fold." Trends in Biochem Science, 35 (4), 189-198. Cairo, M. S., & Weiner, M. A. (2002). Pediatric hematology/oncology secrets: [questions you will be asked; on rounds, in the clinic, on oral exams. Philadelphia, Pa. [u.a.], Hanley & Belfus. Campbell, A. M. (1984). Monoclonal antibody technology the production and characterization of rodent and human hybridomas. Amsterdam, Elsevier. Kent, M. (2000). Advanced biology. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Kontermann, R., & Dubel, S. (2010). Antibody engineering. Berlin, Springer. Lloyd, R. V. (2010). 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