Antibodies Flashcards
what produces antibodies?
B lymphocytes
what are the central lymphoid organs, and what process occurs there?
- bone marrow
- thymus
lymphocytes differentiate there (B cells, bone marrow) (T cells, thymus)
what are the peripheral secondary lymphoid organs?
- lymph nodes
- spleen
- GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue)
- peyers patches
- tonsils
- appendix
what are naive B cells?
B cells that have not met antigens, and circulate from blood into peripheral lymphoid tissues
where is the main site of antigen encounter?
peripheral lymphoid tissues
describe organisation of lymph node?
cortex and inner medula
cortex:
- outer section of B cells follicles
- paracortical area of T cells and dendritic cells
medulla:
- macrophages
- antibody secreting B cells (plasma cells)
what is the pathway of blood carrying lymphocytes and antigen through the spleen?
- enter from a trabecular artery into a central arteriole
- pass into a marginal sinus
- exit through a trabecular vein
what are features of the memory antibody response?
- faster
- can produce more antibody
- does not prevent you from making a response to another antigen
what are the two separate functions of antibodies?
- to bind the pathogen that elicited its production
2. to recruit other cells and molecules that will lead to clearance or destruction of pathogen
what determines antigen specificity?
three hypervariable loops that form a surface complimentary to antigen
how is Ab diversity created?
- rearranging multiple gene segments
- junctional diversity
- different combinations of H and L chains
- somatic hypermutation
what are the 5 classes of Ab?
- IgA
- IgD
- IgE
- IgG
- IgM
which antibodies predominate in plasma?
IgG and IgM
what are the main isotypes of antibody in extracellular fluid?
IgG and monomeric IgA
where does dimeric IgA predominate?
- secretions across epithelia, including breast milk
