Antibodies and Serum Electrophoresis Quiz

Food and Drug Administration

• Collect soil samples to detect animal pathogens
• Food Microbiologists focus on the impact of microbes on the food supply, including food spoilage, food-borne diseases, and production

Branches of Microbiology

• Microbial Diversity: 6 types of microbes
• Origins of Microorganisms: bacteria-like organisms have existed on Earth for about 3.5 billion years

Microbial Structure

• Prokaryotes: simple cells, lack nuclei and membrane-bound organelles
• Eukaryotes: complex cells, have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles
• Viruses: acellular, parasitic particles composed of nucleic acid and protein

Microbes in Energy & Nutrient Flow

• Photosynthesis: light-fueled conversion of carbon dioxide to organic material
• Decomposition: breakdown of dead matter and wastes into simple compounds

Human Use of Microorganisms

• Biotechnology: production of foods, drugs, and vaccines using living organisms
• Genetic engineering: manipulating the genes of organisms to make new products
• Bioremediation: using living organisms to remedy an environmental problem

Lifestyles of Microorganisms

• Majority live a free existence, are relatively harmless and often beneficial
• Some microorganisms have close associations with other organisms
• Parasites live on or in the body of another organism and damage the host

Isolation Techniques

• Cell and colony morphology or staining characteristics
• DNA sequence
• Biochemical tests to determine an organism's chemical and metabolic characteristics
• Immunological tests

Media

• Can be classified according to three properties:
  • Physical state (liquid, semisolid, solid)
  • Chemical composition (synthetic, complex)
  • Functional type (general purpose, enriched, selective, differential, anaerobic, transport, assay, enumeration)
• Selective media: contains one or more agents that inhibit the growth of some microbes and encourage growth of the desired microbes
• Differential media: allows growth of several types of microbes and displays visible differences among those microbes
• General-purpose medium: grows a broad range of microbes, usually nonsynthetic
• Enriched media: contains complex organic substances required by fastidious microbes

Miscellaneous Media

• Carbohydrate fermentation medium: contains sugars that can be fermented, converted to acids, and a pH indicator
• Antibodies in Serum: globulin separates into 4 bands (α1, α2, β, and γ) via electrophoresis

Immunity

• Primary response: production of IgM and a gradual increase in Ab titer after first exposure to an Ag
• Secondary response: rapid, stronger response due to memory cells after second contact with the same Ag
• Monoclonal Antibodies: originate from a single clone, have a single specificity for antigen, and are used in diagnosis of disease, identification of microbes, and therapy

T-Cell Activation and Differentiation

• T helper cells (CD4 or TH): regulate immune reaction to antigens, including other T and B cells
• Cytotoxic T cells (CD8 or TC): destroy foreign or abnormal cells by secreting perforins that lyse cells
• Natural killer cells: lack specificity, circulate through the spleen, blood, and lungs
• T cells act directly against Ag and foreign cells when presented in association with an MHC carrier

Test your knowledge on the separation of globulin bands (Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta, Gamma) in serum electrophoresis and the composition of different immunoglobulins. Explore the primary and secondary immune responses to antigens and the production of IgM and IgG antibodies.