Page 39 - The Miracle of the Immune System
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Intelligent Weapons: The Antibodies
aim to produce an antibody that would eliminate the antigen that enters
the body. Therefore, the cell also knows the properties of the millions of
antigens entering the body.
No intellect in this world can produce a design of such unparalleled
perfection. But cells only the size of a hundredth of a millimeter can do so.
Activated B-cells
Plasma cell
Free antibody
Antigen
When millions of copies have
been made, most B-cells
stop dividing and become
plasma cells, a type of cell
whose interior is packed
with the apparatus to make
one product - antibodies.
Some of the dividing B cells
continue dividing indefinitely,
and become memory cells.
Free antibodies manufac-
tured by plasma cells roam Memory cell
around in the blood and
lymph fluid. When an anti-
body binds onto its target anti-
gen, it changes shape. It is the
shape change of the antibody that
e makes it "stick" to the outside of
macrophages.
