B and T cells Flashcards
Amino acids within a chain are held together in an antibody by …
Peptide bonds
Heavy and Light chains in antibodies are held together by …
Disulfide bridge
Antigens binding sights are formed as a result of its …
Tertiary structure
What makes up the constant region of an antigen?
Heavy and light chains joined by disulfide bridges
What makes up the variable region of an antigen?
Antigen binding sight
What are antibodies?
An antibody is a protein secreted by plasma cells, produced by naive B cells in response to the presence of a specific antigen
How are plasma cells formed?
A naive B cell binds with a Helper T cell which releases interleukins which stimulates the B cell to clone itself and differentiate into either plasma or memory cells
Plasma cells typically survive for …
A few days
What do plasma cells release?
Antibodies
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Antibodies with the same tertiary structure, produced from cloned B cells
What forms when an Antigen and Antibody bind?
Antigen-Antibody complex
How many antigens can an antibody bind to at once?
2 antigens
What is the process of clumping antigens together called?
Agglutination
What are antibodies that carry out agglutination called?
Agglutinins
What is Agglutination?
Antibodies bind to antigens on pathogens, causing them to clump together
Why is Agglutination useful?
- It makes it easier for the phagocyte to find and destroy the pathogen
- It slows the movements of pathogens through the body
What is the function of antibodies as opsonins?
Antibodies bind to the complementary receptors on phagocytes and complementary antigens on pathogens, allowing the phagocyte to destroy the pathogen
What is the function of antibodies as anti-toxins?
Antibodies can bind to toxins released by pathogens, preventing them from functioning
What happens when a memory B cells encounters an antigen?
It’s receptors bind to the antigen, the invading cell is internalised and the antigens are presented on its surface where it binds to a Helper T cell which stimulates the memory B cell with interleukins to clone itself either as Plasma cells or Memory B cells
How long do Memory B cells last in the body?
Years
What do Memory B cells not produce, that Plasma cells do?
Antibodies
Which responds faster to antigens? Naive B cells or Memory B cells
Memory B cells
Which produces more plasma cells? Naive B cells or Memory B cells
Memory B cells
Which produces more antibodies? Naive B cells or Memory B cells
Memory B cells
What is the response to the first encounter with an antibody called?
The primary immune response
What is the response to a re-encounter with an antigen?
The secondary immune response?
Which response is faster?
Secondary immune response
