basics of immunology

4. Structure of an antibody

6. Calculation of Affinity Ag + Ab  Ag-Ab Applying the Law of Mass Action: K eq = [Ag-Ab] [Ag] x [Ab]

11. Precipitation Reactions Precipitation reactions in fluids yield a precipitin curve. FIGURE 6-4 ( Lattices or large aggregates ) ( no precipitate is formed if an Ag contains only a single copy of each epitope )

13. FIGURE 6-5 Diagrammatic representation of radial & double immunodiffusion. : precipitation reactions in gels yield visible precipitin lines; no visible precipitate forms in regions of Ab or Ag excess. in the Ab-containing semisolid medium The region of equivalence -> The area is proportional to the conc. of Ag.

18. RIA

21. ELISA FIGURE 6-10 Variations in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, similar to RIA except using an Enzyme (alkaline ⓟ, horseradish peroxidase, & β-galactosidase) : safer & less costly. to detect Ab (HIV, HCV) to detect Ag to detect Ag

22. FIGURE 6-12 Western blotting : separates the components according to their molecular weight. : the proteins in the gel are transferred to the sheet of nitrocellulose or nylon by the passage of an electric current. : probed with Ab & then radiolabeled or enzyme-linked 2 nd Ab. : a position is visualized by means of an ELISA reaction.