Antibody Action: Understanding Neutralization & Opsonization
Mechanisms of Antibody Action
- Neutralization: Antibodies bind pathogens (bacteria/viruses), blocking attachment to host cells, inhibiting entry, or interfering with function.
- Opsonization: Antibodies coat pathogens, marking them for phagocytosis by macrophages and neutrophils.
- Complement Activation: Antibody-antigen binding triggers classical complement pathway, forming membrane attack complex that lyses pathogens.
- Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC): Antibodies on target cells recruit NK cells or macrophages to release cytotoxic molecules, killing the target.
Antibodies also mediate antibody-dependent phagocytosis (ADP) and antibody-mediated inflammation. They are essential to humoral immunity.
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