Immunoglobulins Flashcards
What are immunoglobulins?
Antibodies
Where would you find immunoglobulins?
Plasma, tissues, secretions and lymphatics
What immune system produces immunoglobulins?
Humoral
What cells secrete immunoglobulins?
activated B cells - plasma cells
What are the 5 classes of immunoglobulins?
IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, IgE
What 2 regions do you find on the light and heavy chains?
variable and constant
What part recognises foreign material?
Fragment antigen binding (FAB) arms
What type of molecules interact with Fc?
effector molecules
What do light chains fold up in to?
VL (variable light)
CL (constant light)
What chain determines the class of the antibody?
heavy chain
How many globular domains does the heavy chain fold into?
4 or 5
What are the heavy chain globular domains?
VH
CH1
CH2
CH3
CH4
What causes each antibody to have its own unique binding site?
Hypervariable loops (CDR)
How many CDR’s create the antigen binding site?
6
What is the structural part of the antigen that is recognised?
epitope
Where is the antigen binding site?
tip of the FAB arms
What is the antigen binding site formed by?
Vh and Vl domains
What is the name of the manmade carbon molecule?
Buckminsterfullerene C60
What is C60 used for?
immunise mice and generate antibodies
What is the most abundant immunoglobin in plasma?
IgG
What is the only immunoglobulin to cross placenta from mother to foetus?
IgG
What is the predominant antibody of the secondary response?
IgG
Where is IgM found?
plasma and secretions
In IgM, what joins the units?
J chain and disulphide bonds