Location Formation & types of Antibodies ~ University Notes

Definition:

Antibodies are immunoglobulin’s (Igs) which are produced in the body in response to the antigen or foreign bodies.

Thus all antibodies are immunoglobulin’s but all immunoglobulin’s are not antibodies.

Location and Formation:

The antibodies may be bound to a cell membrane or they may remain free. Antibodies are produced by В lymphocytes and plasma cells. In fact B-lymphocytes get transformed into plasma cells. The mature plasma cell produces antibodies at an extremely rapid rate— about 2000 molecules per second. Antibodies direct the antibody- mediated immunity (= humoral immunity).

Types of Antibodies:

There are five types of antibodies viz:

1. IgA (Ig alpha);

2. IgD (Ig delta);

3. IgE (Ig epsilon);

4. IgG (Ig gamma) and

5. IgM (Ig mu).

Among the antibodies, IgG forms 80% of the antibodies in the body.