Immunology Part III Flashcards
Where is the heavy chain of the antibody?
On the inside (two light chains branch off on outside)
What holds together the hinge region of an antibody and the domains (bubbles)?
S-S disulfide bonds!
What are the different kinds of H (heavy) chains?
Gamma (G), alpha (A), mu (M), epsilon (E), delta (D)
- It defines the class of antibody to which a molecule belongs & its biological properites
- A cell may class switch with heavy chains but its L chain will stay the same (ex: IgG to IgM)
What are the different kinds of L (light) chains?
Kappa or lambda.
What are the key structural features of IgG?
Two light chains, two heavy chain, one subunit, circle on bottom
What are the key structural features of IgG3?
Like IgG except it has a much larger/longer hinge region (>10 disulfide bonds), better binder of complement due to its hinge region
What are the key structural features of IgM?
5 Individual IgMs linked together by a J chain (looks like IgG X 5 in a circle)
What are the key structural features of IgA?
Two individual IgA molecule linked together by their bottoms/constant regions, have a J chain and secretory component linking them together
What are the key structural features of IgD?
Looks similar to IgG. Has small (one disulfide bone) hinge region. Only found on naive B cells, membrane bound, doesn’t play role at site of infection.
What are the key structural features of IgE?
Looks similar to IgM but its always secreted in monomeric form. It has many carbohydrate units attached. One disulfide bond above CH2 and one bond below CH2.
What is the Fab and Fc regions?
Fab - where the antigen binds - has one constant and one variable segment
Fc - constant region, bottom on antibody
What is an allotype?
Minor allelic differences in the sequence of immunoglobulins between individuals (like eye and blood types differ). The allotropes you express are determined by your parents and pass in Mendelian fashion
What is an idiotype?
Each antibody will have its unique combining region, made up of the CDR amino acids of its L and H chains. We call this unique structure an idiotype. [An idiotype is an antibody’s unique combining site considered as an antigen]
What is valence?
Refers to the number of antigenic determinants (epitopes) an antibody molecule can theoretically bind
What is the valence of IgG?
2
What is the valence of IgA?
4