Antibody
By
Cancer Council NSW
An antibody is a protein produced by activated B-cells, a type of immune cell, in response to an antigen – a foreign substance in the body that poses a threat.
Antibodies bind to specific antigens, like a key fitting into a lock, to help neutralise or eliminate threats. Antibodies are a type of immunoglobulin and form a key defence of our adaptive immune system.
Antibodies can also be used in cancer treatments, such as in some types of immunotherapy (see monoclonal antibody) and are also used in several diagnostic tests (see immunohistochemistry).
More like this