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Writer's pictureSreyashi Sen

Which immune cell produces antibodies?

Updated: Jul 6, 2023

Which immune cell produces antibodies is such a well-known topic in today's time. The immune system functions similarly to law enforcement. It conducts thorough checks of the entire area and alerts the authorities if any trouble is detected. The requirement that it respond anywhere in the body is what sets it apart from similar systems.

The adaptive immune system also provides two different types of protection. Before diving into the living things that deliver innate and adaptive immunity, we'll take a quick look at the associated organs and tissues.

What Is The "Immune System"?

The immune system, or immunity system, is a network of cells and organs that works to maintain good health. The immune system's capacity to distinguish between the "self" (the body's healthy cells and tissue) and pathogens that can cause illness helps achieve this.

Those germs are called pathogens. In some cases, the body's immune response can detect cancer and eliminate it.

The majority type of white blood or immune system cells circulates throughout other cells in the body. These cells, referred to as WBCs or white blood cells, are constantly on the move to wherever they're needed most. Our bone marrow is the source of stem cells called hematopoietic cells, which give rise to these cells.

Many different kinds of cells and proteins make up the cells of the immune system. Each component works in tandem to identify and counteract threats posed by pathogens.


Image from Unlimphotos by Asolano
Image from Unlimphotos by Asolano

Immunity

The immune system as a whole improves with repeated exposure to a wide variety of pathogens. By the time people reach adulthood, they've usually been exposed to more pathogens and have built up more immunity as a result.

The body stores a copy of an antibody it has produced in case the same antigen reappears in the future.

In order to prevent the spread of diseases like measles, vaccinations are highly recommended. A person who has been vaccinated against measles is highly unlikely to develop the illness.

It is extremely unusual for an unvaccinated person to contract measles a second time after having it once. An antibody against measles is stored in the body in both cases.

When the virus reappears, the antibody will be all set to eliminate it. The term for this is immunity.

In humans, there are three distinct forms of immunity:

  • Innate Immunity

  • Adaptive Immunity

  • Passive Immunity

Innate Immunity


Humans have a natural defense mechanism against foreign invaders that kicks in at birth.

The mucous membranes and skin of the throat and gut are examples of the body's external barriers that contribute to our innate immunity and act as the first line of protection against pathogens.

This answer provides no concrete details.

Macrophages will attack pathogens that have evaded the innate immune system. Cytokines are a type of substance produced by macrophages that promote an inflammatory response.


Acquired (or adaptive) Immunity


The immune system's ability to fight off infections improves throughout a person's lifetime.

Thanks to vaccinations and natural exposure, the human immune system can produce antibodies against a wide variety of diseases and infections.

Since the immune system keeps track of previous foes, doctors sometimes use the term "immunological memory" to describe this phenomenon.


Passive Immunity


This is a short-term form of immunity that is passed on from one individual to another.

One example is the transfer of antibodies from mother to child both prenatally (via the placenta) and postnatally (via breast milk).

The infant is shielded from some infections in the early stages of life thanks to this passive immunity.


Mechanisms of Immune Responses

In order to do its job, the immune system must be able to tell healthy tissues and cells apart from pathogenic ones. DAMPS, or danger-associated molecular patterns, are signals that aid in this process.

Many genetic and environmental factors can contribute to cell damage, such as:

  • pathogens, like viruses and bacteria

  • poisons from an animal's bite or sting

  • a physical injury that does not involve an infection, like a burn

  • cancer is caused by a mutation within the cells.

Antigens are often from foreign cells or foreign substances, like bacteria, fungi, viruses, toxins, or even rocks. However, a defective or dead cell is another possibility.

The antigen contains PAMPs, or pathogen-associated molecular patterns, which are recognized by the immune system. As a result, the body's defenses identify the antigen in question as a threat and begin an offensive.


Image from Unlimphotos by Creativepic
Image from Unlimphotos by Creativepic

White Blood Cell Subtypes

White blood cells (leukocytes) can be broken down into two categories:

  1. Phagocytes

These cells engulf invaders, digesting and digesting them in the process.

Among the many categories are:

  • Neutrophils: Inflammation is met swiftly and effectively by these cells, which are commonly referred to as granulocytes. They eliminate disease-causing microorganisms but at the cost of their own lives.

  • Macrophages: After a reaction, these are used to tidy up. They clean up the area by getting rid of debris and dead neutrophils.

  • Dendritic Cells: These stimulate the immune system and aid in the engulfment of pathogens.

  • Monocytes: These have the potential to develop into both dendritic cells and macrophages.

  • Mast Cells: When these mast cells come into contact with an antigen, they set off the immune system.

2. Lymphocytes


Lymphocytes aid the immune system in remembering and identifying previously encountered invaders.

Bone marrow is where lymphocytes are born. Some of these cells differentiate into B cells, or B lymphocytes, and others into lymphocytes that produce antibodies (T cells) while still in the bone marrow. These various cell types all perform specific tasks.

B lymphocytes assist in identifying cancer cells and the T lymphocytes by making antibodies. T lymphocytes eliminate damaged tumour cells and signal other leukocytes to take action.

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are a subset of lymphocytes. Infected cells are quickly eliminated from the blood vessels and lymph nodes by NK cells.


B Lymphocytes And Their Function


Antibodies are produced by B lymphocytes once they recognize an antigen. Specific cells recognize antigens they are bound to and cells produce antibodies, which are proteins.

One unique antibody is produced by normal cells for each B cell. Some people can produce an antibody that attacks the bacteria that cause pneumonia, while others can identify the virus that causes the common cold.

Antibodies are made by B-cells, which are used to combat bacteria and viruses. Antibody molecules are proteins with a Y shape that are specific for every pathogen and can bind to the outermost layer of an invading cell, identifying it as a target for the body's immune system to eliminate.

The connection between B-lymphocytes and malignancy is murky. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for the vast majority of cervical, anal, penile, and other reproductive cancers, and B-cells can sometimes hinder tumour development through the production of antibodies that can attack cancer cells and oncogenic viruses. However, regulatory B-cells can also inhibit an anti-tumour response by secreting immunosuppressive cytokines.

Antibodies belong to the larger family of immunoglobulins, which perform numerous functions in the immune system. The immune system's adaptive reaction relies heavily on the antibodies produced by B cells. They are designed to target and eliminate the particular pathogen that caused the infection. Individuals have IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE, and IgD in addition to other classes of antibodies. The characteristics and functions of each are distinct.

  • IgG- The most common type of antibody in human blood and tissues is IgG. There are four distinct types of IgG that have been discovered. Throughout the day, the blood of a typical adult contains more than 70 grams (or 17 teaspoons) of IgG, which is there to check for infections. The interstitial fluid also contains IgG. This class of antibodies is also transported across the placenta.

  • IgM- The blood also contains IgM. IgM is one of the first types of antibodies to show up in response to an infection. Although they are specific to the pathogen, these antibodies are not as effective as IgG antibodies, which show up later in the course of an infection. IgM does not cross the blood-tissue barrier like IgG does because it circulates in the body as a pentamer (a group of five IgM molecules). Despite being less effective than IgG, their clustering more than makes up for this shortcoming. One armed police officer versus five unarmed citizens trying to stop a suspect from fleeing the scene of a crime. The criminal can be surrounded by five citizens, making escape more difficult, but the odds are even lower once a police officer arrives with his or her equipment.

  • IgA- Although IgA circulates in the blood, its primary function is to guard mucosal surfaces. This is why IgA antibodies are more prevalent in the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Breast milk typically contains IgA as well.

  • IgE- Antibodies against IgE can be found in the subcutaneous tissue and along blood vessel walls. Parasite infections are the ones they excel at treating. Allergies are typically linked with this specific antibody.

  • IgD- Less is known about IgD, but it may play a role in warding off respiratory infections and keeping the immune system from mistakenly attacking "self" antigens found in our own cells and tissues. The respiratory system as well as low blood levels are the main places for founding IgD.

The antigen is not destroyed when an antibody binds to it; rather, it is marked for further elimination by other immune cells. Other types of cells, such as phagocytes, are responsible for killing or answering which immune cell produces antibodies.


T Lymphocytes And Their Functions


T lymphocytes, or T cells, come in a variety of subtypes.

Helper Coordinating the immune response are T cells (Th cells). Some cells are able to relay messages from B cells to others, while others encourage B cells to generate more antibodies. While others draw in plasma cells as in more T cells or phagocytes (cell-eating neutrophils).

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes, more commonly known as killer T cells, are responsible for killing other immune cells. When it comes to combating viruses, they prove invaluable. They eliminate virus-infected cells, by recognizing and eliminating viral surface proteins.


NK Cells: Their Important Function

These granules contain potent chemicals and are found in a specific type of lymphocyte. They're effective against a wide variety of pathogenic cells.


How do antigens in vaccines interact with our defenses?


Memory exists in the immune system. It's better equipped to deal with diseases it's already encountered. Before the development of a vaccine, childhood exposure to the chickenpox virus served as effective immunity. That's because the virus was recognized and neutralized by your body's memory B cells and memory T cells before they could cause any problems.

Vaccines protect us from disease or lessen its severity because our B cells produce antibodies and T cells remember previous exposures. To protect against coronavirus infection, vaccines like COVID-19 mRNA instruct your cells to produce an inert fragment of the virus's genome that both B cells and T cells can recognize and memorize. In this way, the memory of your T and B cells can quickly respond to any future exposure to the virus and eradicate it.

The potential of mRNA vaccines in cancer treatment is now being explored; one example is the use of a vaccine against the return of colorectal cancer.


Image from Unlimphotos by Taut
Image from Unlimphotos by Taut

Planning for the Future after Achieving Success


Most activated cells perish either during or soon after infection. A small percentage of B and T cells, however, do survive indefinitely. We refer to these cells as "memory." Specific antigens are recognized by these memory cells. Memory B and T cells, for instance, patrol the body for signs of influenza. Our immune systems went through the same process of becoming activated and responding to the attack regardless of whether our first contact with the flu was an infection or the result of vaccination.

The main immune system response is the initial reaction to know which immune cell produces antibodies. The post-infection memory cells act as sentries t cell response, keeping an eye out for additional influenza infections. If this happens, the immune system will be able to respond more quickly and effectively to the second (or subsequent) attack because these cells have already been primed to do so.

Memory-cell-mediated immune responses are referred to as secondary responses. Think of the officers with years of experience in the force as the memory responses. The officers with more experience can probably guess what's going on and react quickly, confidently, and effectively because of this. Similar to how the immune system's adaptive mechanism is able to speed up its attack thanks to memory cells.

The response time is cut by several days thanks to this preparedness. There are several routes to these outcomes. It's possible that some people who are re-exposed won't show any symptoms at all. Some people will experience symptoms, but their manifestations may be milder than others. They may also recover from their illness more quickly.


Summary


The immunity system is a complicated but essential part of the body. An attack is launched by the body against foreign pathogens that include a virus or a fragment of flesh in the finger.

Some immunity is acquired throughout life, through either direct contact with a disease or through vaccination.

Due to illness or medication, the immune system of some people is compromised. Protecting one's health while coping with a compromised immune system is something a doctor can help with.

Dietary and physical activity choices, not drinking or smoking, and getting the right vaccinations are all great ways to strengthen your immune system.




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