T he A daptive Immunity

C hapter 17
 Immunoglobulins/A ntibodies
1. A ntibodies are proteins made in response to
an antigen that can bind with that antigen
(highly specific)
2. A single antibody unit is a monomer which is
bivalent
3. F ive types/classes of antibody: may have
different numbers of binding sites
 Basic structure of A ntibody
1. A typical antibody
monomer has four protein
chains:
two heavy + two light
chains (disulfide links)

2. W ithin each chain is

a variable region (V) and
a constant region (C)
3. A variable region (V) is
where antigen binding
occurs.

4. A constant region (Fc)

serves as a basis for
classifying antibody.

5. T he Fc region can attach to

a host cell or a complement
 C lasses of Immunoglobulins
1. IgG 2. IgM
a) about 80% of total serum a) found in serum, lymph
antibody and on B-cell surfaces
b) predominant antibody of b) first & predominant
secondary humoral antibody of primary
response humoral response
c) crosses the human
placenta to produce c) pentamer ; valency is 10
natural, passive,
acquired immunity
d) valency is 2
 3. IgA
a ) found in secretions: mucus, tears, saliva,
milk (especially colostrum); blood; lymph

b) especially important in protecting upper

respiratory tract

c) dimer, with secretory component

(monomer in serum )
 4. IgD 5. IgE
a) minor serum antibody a) 0.002% of serum
b) found on B-cell antibody; generally
surfaces: presumed not circulating
antigen receptors on b) most bound tightly by
B lymphocyte surfaces F c region to mast cells
c) no known function in c) participate in allergic
serum; reactions
d) valency is 2 d) valency is 2
 Protective O utcome of
A ntibody-A ntigen Binding

1. Neutralization
2. Immobilization and prevention of
A dherence
3. Agglutination and Precipitation
4. O psonization
5. Complement A ctivation
Figure 17.7
 V accines

1. H eat-killed/Inactivated vaccines

2. A ttenuated vaccines

3. Toxoid vaccines

4. Subunit vaccines
 A daptive Immunity

H umoral vs. C ell M ediated

Responses
 C ell ±M ediated Immunity
1) O ffers protection against intracellular
antigens or at cellular level
2) Not transferable through placenta
3) T lymphocytes and cytokines are the
players
C ytokines that are communicators
between leukocytes are Interleukins
(I L) e. g. I L-1, I L-2
 T L ymphocytes
1. C haracteristics of T lymphocytes
2. Surface receptor and Co-receptors of T
lymphocytes:
T C R + C D4 or T C R + C D8
3. H elper T cells (T H ) C D4
4. C ytotoxic T cells (T C ) C D8
5. H I V targets cells with C D4 co-receptors
A ntigen Recognition by T lymphocytes
‡ A ntigen can not be free-floating but needs to be
presented to T lymphocytes along with M H C
complexes
‡ M H C complexes are of T wo types:
1. C lass I: on surfaces of most nucleated cells
of the body
2. C lass I I: on surfaces of A P Cs such as
Dendritic cells, B-cell, macrophages
‡ T wo possible ways of antigen presentation to T
lymphocytes: Ag+ M H C I or Ag+ M H C I I
 1. A ntigen presentation to
T L ymphocytes: Ag+ M H C I
‡ Ag+ M H C I complex will be presented by an
infected cell or an abnormal cell to a
C D8+ T C R containing T cell
 C ytotoxic T L ymphocytes T C (C T L )
a) A fter recognition of an antigen, two cell types
produced: effector (C T L) & memory cells
b)F unction of C T L : destruction of target cells
virus-infected cells, cancer cells, incompatible tissue
grafts
c)W hen target cell is spotted, granules
with perforin are released by C T L
d)T his protein is inserted into the
membrane of the offending cell,
to form a pore leading to death
of the target.
 2. A ntigen presentation to
T L ymphocytes: Ag+ M H C I I
Ag+ M H C I I complex will be presented by an A P C,
antigen presenting cell, to C D4+ T C R containing T cell
 H elper T cells (T H )
a) A fter Ag recognition, differentiates into two
types: effector & memory (therefore, 1q and
2q responses here).
b) F unctions: H elper T cells produce cytokines
to influence the activity of
macrophages,
other T cells and
B cells: O verlap with humoral immunity
 Natural killer cells (N K )
a) Neither T nor B in terms of surface
mar kers.
b) No memory.
c) F unction: removal of offending cells
by lysis using perforin.
e.g. virus-containing & tumor cells
d) however, able to kill in the absence of
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