The Relationship between Antibodies and the Immune System

Abstract

The human body defends itself from outside pathogens through the immune system. There are two types of immunity, innate immunity and adaptive immunity. In innate immunity, the body utilizes a general responses to initially combat pathogens. In the adaptive immune response, T and B lymphocytes fight the pathogens. Antibodies are proteins made by B lymphocytes that help combat bacteria and toxins in the body. They come in five different classes; IgM, IgD, IgG, IgE, and IgA. Each class is determined by its structure, which in turn facilitates its function. However, often functionality may twist into dysfunctionality, which in the human body can cause damage, termed immunopathology. There are three types of antibody related immunopathologies; type I, type II, and type III. These antibody related diseases range from simple allergy to rheumatoid arthritis. The following is an overview of their function and dysfunction.