B cells Flashcards
where are B cells produced and where do they mature?
in the bone marrow
what are the two forms of antibodies that are produced by B cells?
membrane bound which form B cell receptors
secreted
what can B cells form when activated?
plasma cells
what is the structure of B cell receptor complex?
consists of an Ig molecule together with 2 signalling molecules ( Ig alpha and beta)
what is the function of the signalling molecules present on the B cell receptor complex?
initiate intracellular signalling leading to b cell activation
also help transport receptor to the surface of the cell
what is clonal selection and how does it occur?
it is the process of selecting the B cell with the correct antigen specific BCR for a certain antigen
antigen exposure selects B cells expressing the appropriate BCR
upon antigen recognition B cells activate and proliferate
produces clones as they all come from the same B cell
what are the 5 classes of antibody?
IgG IgA IgM IgE IgD
what allows the binding of different antibodies to the same antigen?
the antigen having multiple epitopes
what is antibody affinity?
the strength of binding between one antigen binding site and one epitope
what is antibody avidity?
the strength of binding between one antibody molecule and one antigen
what are some antigen effector functions?
neutralisation of bacterial toxins
opsonisation of bacteria in extracellular space
complement activation
