Something about
Antibodies are our molecular watchdogs, waiting and watching for viruses, bacteria and other unwelcome visitors. Antibodies circulate in the blood, scrutinizing every object that they touch.
When they find an unfamiliar, foreign object, they bind tightly to its surface. In the case of viruses, a coating of bound antibodies may be enough to block infection.
Antibodies alone, however, are no match for bacteria. When antibodies bind to a bacterial surface, they act as markers alerting the other powerful defensive mechanisms available in the immune system.
3D model present :
- Cartoon representation of
the
Immunoglobin G - Colors indicates a structure
elements:
- helices
- strands
- loops
- disulfide bonds
Power in Numbers
Your blood contains upwards of 100,000,000 different types of antibodies. Each type binds to a different target molecule. Remarkably, all of these antibodies are created before they ever see a virus or bacterium. You don't make a special antibody when a virus or bacterium infects your body. Instead, all of your antibodies are pre-fabricated, lying in wait until a virus or bacterium attacks. There are so many different kinds of antibodies that one or two are bound to be the right ones to fight the infection.
This amazingly huge collection of antibodies is created by recombination of genes in lymphocytes, the blood cells that make antibodies. Each lymphocyte creates a different type of antibody, based on how it has recombined its antibody genes. When an antibody encounters a virus or bacterium, the appropriate lymphocytes will multiply, flooding the blood with the particular antibodies needed to battle the invader. These lymphocytes may also make small adjustments on the antibodies they produce, tailoring their antibodies to bind more tightly and more specifically.
In the picture you may see how antibody bind to antigen. There molecular surfaceof the immunoglobin G and their antigen ( lysozym ) has been computed.