ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Antibodies defend us against infection by binding to viruses and microbial toxins, thereby inactivating them (see Figure 24-2). The binding of antibodies to invading pathogens also recruits various types of white blood cells and a system of blood proteins, collectively called complement (discussed in Chapter 25).

Detailed explanation-2: -Antibodies are protective proteins produced by your immune system. They attach to antigens (foreign substances)-such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and toxins-and remove them from your body.

Detailed explanation-3: -Antibodies recognize foreign invading microorganisms by specifically binding to a pathogen’s proteins or antigens, facilitating their neutralization and destruction. Antigens are classically defined as any foreign substance that elicits an immune response.

Detailed explanation-4: -Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to infection. They are an important part of the body’s defence system as they work to destroy disease-causing organisms (such as viruses or bacteria) and block them from infecting human cells.

Detailed explanation-5: -Antibodies help the body to fight microbes or the toxins (poisons) they produce. They do this by recognising substances called antigens on the surface of the microbe, or in the chemicals they produce, which mark the microbe or toxin as being foreign. The antibodies then mark these antigens for destruction.