Antibodies notes

  • proteins made by plasma B cells in response to specific antigen

  • quaternary structure → four polypeptide chains, 2 light, 2 heavy

  • basic shape is the same, differ in “variable region”

  • variable region has antigen binding site, one antibody is able to bind to two antigens at once → agglutination so easier for phagocytes to locate and engulf

  • are markers to stimulate phagocytes to engulf bacteria

  • form antigen-antibody complexes