Humoral Immune Response

What Is Humoral Immune

Response

This is immune response that is mediated by

antibodies secreted by the B lymphocytes
 Antibodies
• Antibodies or Immunoglobulins are
proteins used to identify and neutralize
foreign objects.

• Antibodies are produced by B-lymphocytes.

• They have the ability to recognize and bind

specifically to antigen that induced their
formation
Basic Structure of an Antibody
 Mechanism of Humoral Immunity
* Antibodies induce resistance through:

1) Antitoxin neutralize bacterial toxins (diphtheria, tetanus)

Antitoxin are developed actively as a result of:

a- Previous infection

b- Artificial immunization

c- Transferred passively as antiserum

* Neutralization of toxin with antitoxin prevents a combination with

tissue cells
 Mechanism of Humoral immunity
2) Antibodies attach to the surface of bacteria and:

a- act as opsonins and enhance phagocytosis

An opsonin is any molecule that acts as a binding enhancer for the

process of phagocytosis.

b- prevent the adherence of microorganisms to

their target cells, e.g. IgA in the gut

c- Activate the complement and lead to bacterial lysis

d- Clump bacteria leading to phagocytosis

 Major Histocompatibility
Complex (MHC)
•This is a large genomic region found in most
vertebrates.

•The MHC proteins act as "signposts" that

display fragmented pieces of an antigen on the
host cell's surface.
 RECOGNITION and ACTIVATION
PHASE
• The Humoral response starts when a cell of
the immune system engulfs an antigen.

• Inside the cell, the new vesicle is called a

phagosome.

• The phagosome fuses with a alysosome which

contains digestive enzymes.
 ACTIVATION PHASE CON’T
• The enzymes breakdown the engulfed particle
into fragments, in a phenomenon called
antigen processing.
• Within the cells the processed antigens
combine with class MHC proteins.
• The complex is displayed on the macrophage’s
plasma membrane.
 ACTIVATION PHASE CON’T
• This display is known as antigen presentation,
and macrophages are considered antigen
presenting cells (APC).
• A helper T cell participates in the next stage
of the Humoral immune response.
• This helper T cell has T cell receptors that can
bind to both the class II MHC protein and this
particular presented antigen. The helper T-Cell
is the Opsonin.
 ACTIVATION PHASE CON’T
• This binding triggers the macrophage to
release cytokine interleukin-1, which activates
the helper T cell.
• The activated helper T cell now releases its
own cytokines, which stimulate the helper T
cell to multiply.
• The cell proliferates to form a clone of helper
T cells, all with the same T cell receptors.
 ACTIVATION PHASE CON’T
• These receptors are specific for the antigenic
determinant of the original processed antigen.
 THE EFFECTOR PHASE
• The effector phase begins with a B cell.
• The B cell has membrane bound IgM
receptors that are specific for the same
antigen as originally engulfed by the
macrophage.
• An IgM receptor binds to the antigen and the
cell engulfs the complex by receptor-mediated
endocytosis.
 EFFECTOR PHASE
• The internalized vesicle fuses with a lysosome,
which contains digestive enzymes.
• The enzymes digest the antigen, processing it
into fragments.
• The processed antigen is then attached to
class II MHC molecules and displayed on the
surface of the B cell.
 EFFECTOR PHASE CON’T
• A helper T cell from the clone of the helper T
cells in the activation phase can now bind to the
antigen displayed by the B cell.
• The helper T cell receptor specifically recognizes
the antigen on the class II MHC protein.
• Upon binding, the helper T cell releases
cytokines that stimulate the B cell to divide and
create a clone of identical cells.
 EFFECTOR PHASE CON’T
• The resulting B cells develop into either long-
lived memory cells or into antibody-secreting
plasma cells.
• Plasma cells have extensive endoplasmic
reticulum and numerous ribosomes.
• Plasma cells are essentially antibody factories
• They produce and secrete antibodies of the
specificity identical to that of the surface
receptors on the parent B cell.
 EFFECTOR PHASE CON’T
• Like the surface IgM receptors on the parent B
cell, the antibodies secreted by the plasma
cell can bind to and inactivate the original
antigen.
Stages of Humoral Immune Response