![]() Antibody testingĪntibody tests – also known as serological tests – take advantage of the microbe-specific antibodies that remain in the blood after a person has recovered from an infection. Because memory cells and antibodies are already present, next time the body encounters the same microbe, the immune response is much faster and can stop the infection from taking hold. When the body encounters a microbe for the first time, immune cells produce antibodies that specifically recognise proteins associated with that particular microbe.Īfter recovering from an infection or receiving a vaccine, a small number of these antibody-producing immune cells usually remain in the body as memory cells, providing immunity to future infections with the same bug. They help eliminate disease-causing microbes from the body, for instance by directly destroying them or by blocking them from infecting cells.Īntibodies work by recognising and sticking to specific proteins, such as those found on the surfaces of viruses and bacteria, in a highly specific way. Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins produced as part of the body’s immune response to infection.
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