Antibody IgM
Nimisha Patel
Pathophysiology
02/25/2013
Antibody IgM Immunoglobulin M or IgM antibody is one of the five types of antibodies the body produces in response to invading antigens that enter the body. Antibodies are proteins found in body fluids, like blood and saliva, which help the immune system fight off infection. Antigens are substances that are considered foreign to the body and whose presence often trigger the production of antibodies. Examples of antigens are viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. As bacteria or viruses enter the body, the white blood cells (WBC) often identify these organisms as foreign to the body. They activate the plasma cells. These plasma cells produce the IgM antibody. The IgM antibody is the largest of the antibodies and found mostly in the lymph fluid and the blood. Because IgM is a large molecule, it cannot diffuse well, and is found in the interstitial fluid in very low quantities. IgM is primarily found in serum and is generally responsible for neutralizing antigen invasion during the early stage of the disease, until enough IgG antibodies are produced. They also cause other immune system cells to destroy foreign substances. IgM antibodies are about 5% to 10% of all the antibodies in the body. IgM antibody is often referred to as the first line of defense and its presence in the blood is often indicative of an infection. IgM is the third most common serum Ig. A healthy immune system is often capable of producing IgM antibody as well as the other types of antibodies during infection. Some factors including excessive intake of sugar-containing foods, oxygen depletion in the body, and side effects of certain treatment procedures such as chemotherapy can weaken the immune system. Individuals with weak immune systems can easily catch viral conditions like flu which a healthy person could easily ward off. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/immunoglobulins?page=3 http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mobile/m.immuno-4.htm
Pathophysiology
02/25/2013
Antibody IgM Immunoglobulin M or IgM antibody is one of the five types of antibodies the body produces in response to invading antigens that enter the body. Antibodies are proteins found in body fluids, like blood and saliva, which help the immune system fight off infection. Antigens are substances that are considered foreign to the body and whose presence often trigger the production of antibodies. Examples of antigens are viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. As bacteria or viruses enter the body, the white blood cells (WBC) often identify these organisms as foreign to the body. They activate the plasma cells. These plasma cells produce the IgM antibody. The IgM antibody is the largest of the antibodies and found mostly in the lymph fluid and the blood. Because IgM is a large molecule, it cannot diffuse well, and is found in the interstitial fluid in very low quantities. IgM is primarily found in serum and is generally responsible for neutralizing antigen invasion during the early stage of the disease, until enough IgG antibodies are produced. They also cause other immune system cells to destroy foreign substances. IgM antibodies are about 5% to 10% of all the antibodies in the body. IgM antibody is often referred to as the first line of defense and its presence in the blood is often indicative of an infection. IgM is the third most common serum Ig. A healthy immune system is often capable of producing IgM antibody as well as the other types of antibodies during infection. Some factors including excessive intake of sugar-containing foods, oxygen depletion in the body, and side effects of certain treatment procedures such as chemotherapy can weaken the immune system. Individuals with weak immune systems can easily catch viral conditions like flu which a healthy person could easily ward off. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/immunoglobulins?page=3 http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mobile/m.immuno-4.htm