ANTIBODIES

Before this corona pandemic, very few of you except medical students and doctors were aware of the term antibodies but spotlight in current scenario everyone now knows what antibodies are and what they do in our body but still more people are confused. Here we will understand the basics about antibodies, which everyone must know.

What is the function of WBC in the body?

Our body is completely made up of trillions of cells and these cells are full of red and white blood cells. The red blood cells help to carry oxygen in our blood, veins, and every part of body organs while white blood cells fight against infections and foreign bacterias.

What are anti-bodies?

Antibodies are immunoglobulin (Ig).  There are 20-25% of the protein present in it. Further, the antibodies are formed with the combination of Glycoprotein, here glycol means carbohydrate. 

How are they formed?

These antibody produced by B cell i.e beta cells, but it further differentiates into a plasma cell and the memory cell. A plasma cell is an active cell which immediately acts against any bacteria if found by B cell. 

When B cell can find bacteria

An antigen is a specified word that denotes two types. 

• Complete antigen

• Incomplete antigen

The incomplete antigens have small B cell molecules which are unable to detect the foreign moving particles and bacteria that’s why it becomes difficult for plasma cell to form antibodies.

The complete antigens have big molecules of B cell and it can easily detect any bacteria molecules entered in body and immediately order plasma cell to form antibodies 

What memory cells do?

When antibodies produced by plasma cell then memory cell starts analyzing the type of bacteria in the body and its nature of acting against the body. So, whenever the same bacteria enter our body then our memory cell informs our plasma cell to deal with it, and as plasma cells previously formed the same antibodies now this time no extra hard work required to tackle the disease. 

NOTE: Same this is how these antibodies are helping us to tackle with COVID-19 virus, that’s why doctors are advising you to make a heavy intake of vitamin C and immunity boosters. The vitamin C and immunity booster help our cells to produce antibodies.

Types of antibodies and their structure

There are 5 types of antibodies

• Ig G

• Ig A

• Ig M

• Ig D

• Ig E

They have chain structure and named as heavy chain while kappa and lambda are named as light chain and both are connected with Di-sulfur bond.

Covid-19 Antibodies

Those patients recovering from coronavirus now have antibodies which on transferring to other patients through plasma therapy have more than 80% chance to recover faster and safer. The reason why the Indian government requesting all the recovered patient to donate antibodies is that the corona affected patients after getting antibody their B cell and plasma cell have more ability to form stronger antibodies to tackle against the virus. 

Image: Google