HTHSCI 3I03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10-12: Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain, Complementarity-Determining Region, Immunoglobulin Light Chain

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: HTHSCI 3I03
• Professor: Jonathan Bramson

Document Summary

Antibodies can neutralize bacterial toxins (do not need to involve wbcs) Antibodies can opsonize (or tag) bacteria in the extracellular space for phagocytosis by macrophages. Antibodies can bind to surface antigens of bacteria in plasma and activate the complement system. B cell precursor rearranges its ig genes to generate bcrs in the bone marrow (vs. the thymus for t cells) B cells do not need to undergo positive selection because they do not recognize peptides in the context of mhc (they recognize antigens directly) B cells only undergo negative selection, and those that bind too well to self cell- surface antigens are removed. This process occurs in the bone marrow (vs. the thymus for t cells) Mature b cells migrate to peripheral lymphoid organs where they encounter antigens and are activated. Activated b cells give rise to plasma b cells and memory b cells. There are 3 main stages of b cell development: pro-b cell, pre-b cell, and b cell.