Describe how antibodies are used to eliminate antigens
What will be an ideal response?
Antibodies bind to the antigen that triggered the activation of the B cell line that produced them. Antibodies activate the complement cascade, which leads to cytolysis, inflammation, and opsonization. Antibodies can neutralize antigens by binding to them. By binding to the antigen, the antibodies prevent toxins, viruses, or bacteria from binding to their targeted host cell receptors. Finally, antibodies can directly increase the process of phagocytosis. Antibody-binding causes precipitation of small, soluble antigen which make them more detectable to phagocytes. When binding to larger antigens, antibodies cause agglutination of groups of cells which can then be more efficiently ingested by phagocytes. Antibodies also serve as tags, or opsonins, to mark antigens for phagocytosis.
You might also like to view...
The cytoplasmic space in eukaryotic cells is occupied by many diverse membrane-bound structures with specific cellular functions called:
A. organelles. B. flagella. C. cilia. D. receptors. E. chromosomes.
How many other bands of sea-floor crust in the figure above have the same magnetic polarity as the crust that directly straddles the rift valley?
A) two bands B) four bands C) five bands D) eight bands
Where do plants get most of their mass?
A) from nitrogen in the atmosphere B) from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere C) from water, as van Helmont predicted D) from organic molecules taken up from the soil
Replication of most ________ viruses is similar to normal cellular processes
A) dsDNA B) ssDNA C) +ssRNA D) -ssRNA E) dsRNA