12 Questions
What is the approximate percentage of antibodies in plasma?
35%
Which type of protein are antibodies?
Soluble proteins
What is the structure of antibodies?
Y-shaped structure
Which segments of the heavy chains determine the class of the antibody?
Constant segments
How many classes of antibodies are there?
5
What determines the specificity of an antibody?
Amino acid sequence of the variable segments
How do small differences in the structure of the variable segments affect the antibody's function?
They make the antibody more specific
How many types of antibodies can B cells produce?
100 million
What are the antigen-binding sites?
The variable segments
What is the function of transport globulins?
Transport lipids and hormones
Which class of antibody is responsible for allergic reactions?
IgE
What is the function of IgA antibodies?
Protect mucosal surfaces
Study Notes
- Antibodies are soluble proteins that attack foreign proteins and pathogens.
- They account for approximately 35% of the proteins in plasma.
- Antibodies are a type of globulin, along with transport globulins.
- Antibodies have a Y-shaped structure consisting of heavy and light chains.
- The constant segments of the heavy chains determine the class of the antibody.
- There are five classes of antibodies: IgG, IgE, IgD, IgM, and IgA.
- The specificity of an antibody depends on the amino acid sequence of the variable segments of the light and heavy chains.
- Small differences in the structure of the variable segments affect the precise shape of the antigen-binding site.
- B cells can produce an estimated 100 million types of antibodies, each with a different specificity.
- The antigen-binding sites are the free tips of the variable segments of the antibody molecule.
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