| Introduction |
Antigen is a foreign substance, often a protein that induces an immune response. |
Antibody is a proteins produced by the immune system in response to antigens |
| Category |
· Proteins
· Lipids
· Carbohydrates
· Nucleic acids |
· Proteins (immunoglobulins) |
| Origin |
· Can be foreign (from pathogens)
· Self (from the body’s own cells) |
· Produced by B cells |
| Specificity |
Can be specific or nonspecific, depending on the type of antigen |
Highly specific as each antibody is designed to bind to a specific antigen |
| Structure |
Diverse structures based on the type of molecule (proteins, lipids, etc.) |
Y-shaped structure with two identical antigen-binding sites at the tips of the arms |
| Types |
· Bacterial cell surface proteins
· viral proteins
· Pollen proteins |
· IgG
· IgM
· IgA
· IgD
· IgE |
| Transfer |
Inherited from both parents, with some degree of variation |
Not inherited but transferred from mother to baby through breast milk during breastfeeding |
