Lecture 2

Antigens, Receptors and

Immunoglobulins

Antigenic Determinants (Epitopes)

What is an antibody?

Product of adaptive immunity

Made specifically to bind a unique antigenic
epitope (also called an antigenic determinant)
Possesses an antigen binding site
A product of the Plasma cell
Members of the class of proteins called
immunoglobulins

Receptor-Epitope Interactions and

Affinity

Most biological systems can be viewed in terms of

interactions between receptors and epitopes
(hand and glove).
Specificity of the interaction between the receptor
and epitope is determined by the amino acid
sequence of the receptor (tailoring the glove).

If the glove is too big, the glove falls off.

If the glove is too small, you cant get your hand into it.
If the glove is missing fingers

Binding of the epitope in

the antigen binding site
GOOD FIT

POOR FIT

antibody combining site

antigen determinant
high attraction
low repulsion

high repulsion
low attraction

Basic Immunoglobulin Structure

The Prototype Immunoglobulin

Molecule

Fab
VH

VL

CH1

CL

CH2
Fc
CH3

Heavy Chains (five

types:
Light Chains (two
types: and
Fab fragment
Fc fragment
Constant and
variable regions
Carbohydrate
Disulfide linkages

Fab

Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
VH

VL
CH1

CL

CH2
Fc

CH3

2 Heavy and 2 Light chains

2 Fab and 1 Fc fragment
4 Subclasses (IgG1, IgG2,
IgG3, IgG4)
Mol. Wt. 150,000
~70-75% of serum
immunoglobulin.
The major antibody of the
secondary immune response
Change in affinity with time

Immunoglobulin M (IgM)

J-Chain

10 Heavy and 10 Light chains

10 Fab and 5 Fc fragments
Mol. Wt. ~900,000
<10% of serum
immunoglobulin.
Single J Chain (15 kDA)
The predominant "early"
antibody
Most primitive immunoglobulin
No change in affinity with time

Immunoglobulin A (IgA)

Monomeric- Serum IgA

~15-20% of serum
immunoglobulins
2 Heavy and 2 Light
2 Subclasses (IgA1
and IgA2)
Found in serum

Secretory Immunoglobulin A
(sIgA)
J-Chain

Secretory Component

4 heavy chains and 4 light chains (dimeric)

J-Chain and secretory component
The major immunoglobulin of secretions
Not found in serum

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)

CH4

2 Heavy and 2 Light chains

Mol. Wt. ~190,000
Trace serum protein
Note CH4 region on H
chain
Associated with atopic or
anaphylactic
hypersensitivity
May play role in immunity
to helminthic parasites

Immunoglobulin D (IgD)

2 heavy and 2 light

chains
<1% of serum
immunoglobulins
Serves as a membrane
receptor on B
lymphocytes
May play role in antigenstimulated lymphocyte
differentiation

Take Home Lessons

What is the basic immunoglobulin structure?

What are the characteristics or features of the various
fragments of the immunoglobulin molecule?
How is the specificity of an antibody defined by the
amino acid sequence of the immunoglobulin molecule?
What features distinguish each immunoglobulin class?