Innate immunity is the body’s natural inborn resistance to infection and it is quick in responding to invasive microbes. It is a component of the immune system that is an inherited protective mechanism, and which protect the body of an animals from many kinds of pathogens. Innate immunity is a nonspecific immune response to antigens, […]
The two basic forms in which antibodies can be produced in purified forms in the laboratory are as monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are homogenous antibodies produced in the laboratory by a single clone of cells (known as hybridoma cells), and all of which exhibit the same antigenic specificity. Hybridomas are cells capable
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Immunology & Immune System
The organs of the immune system are generally divided into two major groups which are the primary lymphoid organs and the secondary lymphoid organs. The bone marrow, spleen, thymus, Peyer’s patches, liver, the tonsils, the lymph nodes and several mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) are some of the major organs or tissues that makeup the immune
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Immunology & Immune System
B cells are specialized type of lymphocytes that are responsible for the production of antibodies or immunoglobulins that act as effector molecules to stimulate the entire immune system against an invading antigen or pathogen. They are primarily responsible for the development of antibody mediated immunity (AMI) in the body; and B cells are produced in
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) moleculesalso known as human leukocyte antigens (HLA) complex are a large set of cell surface protein molecules that are controlled by a collection of polymorphic genes known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) which are located on chromosome 6 in humans and on chromosome 17 in mice. The MHC is a
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Immunology & Immune System
All the cells of the immune system inclusive of blood cells originate from the bone marrow during haematopoiesis from progenitor haematopoietic stem cells. Haematopoiesis is simply defined as the biological process involved in the formation of blood cells (i.e. white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) and other cellular components of blood particularly the
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Immunology & Immune System
Antigen-antibody reaction is an immunological reaction in which a particular antibody molecule reacts with a specific antigen to form an antigen-antibody complex which is marked for further immunological response by other components of the immune system. It can occur inside a living organism (i.e. in vivo reaction) and it can also occur outside the host
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Microbe Lab, Immunology & Immune System, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
ELISA is the acronym for “enzyme linked immunosorbent assay”. It is an immunoassay or serological test that is used for the quantification or identification of specific antibodies or antigens in biological specimens (e.g. serum or blood). ELISA is mainly based on the principle of enzyme-substrate reaction. In ELISA, an enzyme (e.g. horseradish enzyme and beta-galactosidase
Mantoux (Tuberculin) Test is used as a laboratory diagnostic aid to detect reactions of individuals to tuberculin i.e. purified protein derivative (PPD). A tuberculin is any preparation that contains tuberculoprotein – which is usually obtained by the filtration of a culture of tubercle bacilli. PPD is the test antigen in the mantoux skin test. It
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Biochemical Tests in Microbiology Lab, Immunology & Immune System
Herd immunity is a group resistance of a population against a particular disease and the spread of its disease-causing agent in the same population. It is a collective type of immunity that is demonstrated by a community against a particular pathogen and disease within the same environment. In herd immunity, there are a larger proportion
