Unit 4 - Specific immune response Flashcards
What are antibodies?
Y-shaped glycoproteins made by B cells of the immune system in response to the presence of an antigen
What is a specific immune response?
The immune system ‘remembers’ an antigen after an initial response leading to an enhanced response to subsequent encounters
What shape are antibodies?
Y-shaped
Where do T-cells mature?
Thymus gland
Where do B-cells mature?
Bone marrow
What is the function of B plasma cells?
To produce antibodies
How does the sequence of amino acids affect an antibody?
The sequence of amino acids determines the shape of the variable region (sequence of amino acids) and so which antigen is detected
How many polypeptide chains does an antibody contain?
4
What type of molecule is an antibody?
Protein
What is the relationship between the two light chains of antibodies?
They are identical
What is the relationship between the two heavy chains of antibodies?
They are identical
What sort of protein are antibodies?
Globular
How many binding sites are there on an antibody?
Where are they?
3
Two antigen binding sites
One receptor site that allows the body to recognise the antibody as self
How are all antibodies in the body similar?
They share the same common region
What type of bonding occurs between the heavy and light strands in antibodies?
Disulfide