Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Rapid visualization of bacteria from a clinical sample such as a throat swab or sputum can be achieved through fluorescent antibody (FA) techniques that attach a fluorescent marker (fluorogen)…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Similar to the western blot, enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) use antibodies to detect the presence of antigens. However, EIAs differ from western blots in that the assays are conducted in microtiter…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: In addition to causing precipitation of soluble molecules and flocculation of molecules in suspension, antibodies can also clump together cells or particles (e.g., antigen-coated latex beads) in…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Laboratory tests to detect antibodies and antigens outside of the body (e.g., in a test tube) are called in vitro assays. When both antibodies and their corresponding antigens are…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Clinical Focus Part 1 In an unfortunate incident, a healthcare worker struggling with addiction was caught stealing syringes of painkillers and replacing them with syringes filled with…
Figure 20.1 Lab-on-a-chip technology allows immunological assays to be miniaturized so tests can be done rapidly with minimum quantities of expensive reagents. The chips contain tiny flow tubes to allow movement of fluids by capillary action, reactions sites with embedded reagents, and…
Overview of Specific Adaptive Immunity Major Histocompatibility Complexes and Antigen-Presenting Cells T Lymphocytes and Cellular Immunity B Lymphocytes and Humoral Immunity Vaccines
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: For many diseases, prevention is the best form of treatment, and few strategies for disease prevention are as effective as vaccination. Vaccination is a form of artificial…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Humoral immunity refers to mechanisms of the adaptive immune defenses that are mediated by antibodies secreted by B lymphocytes, or B cells. This section will focus on…
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: As explained in Overview of Specific Adaptive Immunity, the antibodies involved in humoral immunity often bind pathogens and toxins before they can attach to and invade host cells.…