- What exactly are antigens and antibodies?
- Please explain to me the whole process before the helper T cell comes in.
- Does the helper T cell turn into a killer T cell after it is activated by the macrophage? And what exactly do the helper T cells do?
- Does the B cell process have anything to do with the T cell process?
- When the antibodies are flagging a cell for destruction are they technically calling the macrophages to come and destroy the cell? So then the macrophages kill the cell and presents it to the T cells so they could attack too.....?
I know this is a lot but i would really appreciate it if someone helped me. :)
Antibodies are Y-shaped and they attach to antigens (found on the outside of a pathogen) and flag them for destruction. Antibodies also cause agglutination (clumping of the cells). There really is no process before the helper T cell comes in because in humoral immunity, the helper T cells activate B cells which then starts the whole process of humoral immunity. For cell- mediated immunity, helper T cells activate the cytotoxic T cells (killing T cells) and produces memory T cells. The helper T cells ACTIVATE cytotoxic T cells (killer T cells), they don't turn into them. Helper T cells activate B cells, activate cytotoxic T cells and produce memory T cells. The only relationship that I know of between the B cells and the T cells is that the helper T cells activate the B cells when an antibody has been attached to an antigen. When the antibodies are flagging a cell for destruction, they are calling for cells to kill the antigen. Antibodies are used in humoral immunity and macrophages are only used in cell- mediated immunity. Antibodies and macrophages have no relationship with each other that I know of. I hope this helps!
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