Understanding Antibodies and Antigens - AP Biology

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Question

What happens antibodies for a specific antigen when that antigen is presented in the body?

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Answer

The immune system is very adaptive. The body has many antibodies that will each recognize different antigens. If an antibody binds to an antigen, the antibody will be copied so that the body can quickly recognize the threat if it is exposed to the antigen a second time. This process is known as the adaptive immune response.

When an antigen is presented for a second time, antibodies to the antigen are released. These antibodies bind to the antigen, labelling it for attack by immune cells and preventing it from interacting the membrane proteins on the host cells.

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