Immunoglobulins-Thrush Flashcards
How many epitopes can each antibody bind to?
ONE!
how many different types of antibodies (with different antigenic specificities) can a plasma cell produce?
plasma cells can only produce antibodies with ONE antigenic specificity (one type of antibody)
How is electrophoresis helpful in diagnosing patients with multiple myeloma (cancer of a B cell producing monoclonal Ig)?
In a normal person, the electrophoresis would show a broad gamma peak, representing the variety of antibodies present in the body.
In multiple myeloma, the cancerous B cell will mutate, leading to mass production of identical antibodies–> this leads to a more narrow (because there is less of a variety of B cells present) and very high “M peak” (proliferation of the mutated antibody
What are Bence-Jones proteins? When and where would they be found and in what type of patient?
in myeloma patients, there is an over-production of antibodies that causes there to be free heavy and light chains present. The free light chains are small enough to get through the kidneys and will be excreted in the urine as Bence-jones proteins.
What differentiates the 5 different classes of antibodies?
the heavy chains
Where is variability in the antibodies found? which makes the most contact with the Ag?
complementarity determining regions (CDR): CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3
(AKA hypervariable regions)
CDR3 makes the most contact with the antigen
Which three antibody types are monomers?
IgG, IgD, IgE
Which antibody class is a dimer?
IgA
Which antibody class is a pentamer?
IgM
Which antibody class exists in the lowest concentration in the blood? What type of reactions is it active in?
IgE is involved in allergic reaction responses
Which antibody classes can activate complement?
IgG and IgM
Which antibody class is involved in secretions? What component if this antibody assists in the secretion and how does this component function?
IgA
A polypeptide called secretory protein associates with IgA and protects it from its harsh environment and digestive enzymes.
When SC is secreted from B cells, it is dimerizes. when it interacts with the poly-Ig receptor on specialized cells lining the mucous membrane, these IgA bind to the poly-Ig receptor and are internalized in the epithelial cell. where it will be secreted into the lumen and considered to be the secretory component. SC can bind to the bacteria and inhibit its ability to attach, preventing disease
Which antibody class is the highest concentration in the blood?
IgG
Which two antibody classes have an extra constant region domain in the heavy chains?
IgE and IgM
Which antibody class can cross the placental barrier?
IgG
