B cells and Antibodies Flashcards
T/F: there roughly 100 million kinds of B cells in the blood?
True; only about 30 of any one kind though.
These are Y shaped proteins that attach to antigens and help identify harmful non-self things for destruction
Antibodies
something that causes the immune system to create antibodies specifically targeting that something.
Antigen
Antigen that a given B cell’s receptors recognize
Cognate Antigen
part of the antigen that the antibody recognizes and attaches
Epitope
part of the antibody that recognizes and attaches to the epitope
Paratope
Where are antibodies made?
In B cells
T/F: Antibodies have to be transcribed and translated by B cells like any other protein.
True
T/F: B cell DNA has much less variety than other cells?
False; B cell DNA has much, much more variety.
In genetic coding, three successive base pairs would be called what?
codon
In genetic coding, each three consecutive bases represent what?
one amino acid
In modular design, multiple copies of four gene segments code the antibody’s what?
heavy chain.
What is the Fc Region?
a string of gene segments
T/F: the light chain has many more gene segments to choose from.
True
T/F: Junctional Diversity limits the B cell’s ability to make different antibodies.
False; in additon to modular design, junctional diversity helps bring the B cell’s ability to make up to about 100 million different antibodies.
What are attached to the surface of B cells?
antibodies
What are the antibodies on the surface of B cells called?
B cell receptors (BCRs)
T/F: All B cells eventually find their specific match.
False; most B cells never find their cognate antigen.
What are B cells that have never encountered their cognate antigen called?
naive or virgin B cells
B cells that have been activated (found their cognate antigen) are called what?
Experienced B cells
How many signals do B cells need to be activated?
Two
What are the signals needed for B cells to be activated?
Clustering of B cell receptors and Co-stimulatory signal
What are the two parts of the Co-stimulatory signal which helps to activate B cells?
T cell dependent and T cell independent (pattern recognition)
Where are complement receptors and where are they located?
Proteins on the membrane of B cells