1. 1 Organization of the Immune System One of the most important survival mechanisms of vertebrates is their ability to recognize and respond to the onslaught of pathogenic microbes to which they are conti- ously exposed. The collection of host cells and molecules involved in this recognition 12 response function constitutes its immune system. In man, it comprises about 10 cells 20 (lymphocytes) and 10 molecules (immunoglobulins). Its ontogenic development is c- strained by the requirement that it be capable of responding to an almost limitless variety of molecular configurations on foreign substances, while simultaneously remaining inert to those on self components. It has thus evolved to discriminate, with exquisite precision, between molecular patterns. The foreign substances which induce a response, called antigens, are typically large molecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. The portions of these with which immunoglobulins interact are called epitopes or determinants. A typical protein epitope may consist of a configuration formed by the spatial arrangements of four or five amino acids and have an average linear dimension of about 20 A.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg Gmbh & Co. Kg
ISBN-13
9783540076971
eBay Product ID (ePID)
117595318
Product Key Features
Author
C. Delisi
Publication Name
Antigen Antibody Interactions
Format
Paperback
Language
English
Subject
Mathematics
Publication Year
1976
Type
Textbook
Number of Pages
142 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height
244mm
Item Width
170mm
Volume
8
Item Weight
276g
Additional Product Features
Title_Author
C. Delisi
Series Title
Lecture Notes in Biomathematics
Country/Region of Manufacture
Germany
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