Antigen Antibody Interactions

ISBN-13: 9783540076971 / Angielski / Miękka / 1976 / 142 str.

C. Delisi

Opis

1. 1 Organization of the Immune System One of the most important survival mechanisms of vertebrates is their ability to recognize and respond to the onslaught of pathogenic microbes to which they are conti- ously exposed. The collection of host cells and molecules involved in this recognition- 12 response function constitutes its immune system. In man, it comprises about 10 cells 20 (lymphocytes) and 10 molecules (immunoglobulins). Its ontogenic development is c- strained by the requirement that it be capable of responding to an almost limitless variety of molecular configurations on foreign substances, while simultaneously remaining inert to those on self components. It has thus evolved to discriminate, with exquisite precision, between molecular patterns. The foreign substances which induce a response, called antigens, are typically large molecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. The portions of these with which immunoglobulins interact are called epitopes or determinants. A typical protein epitope may consist of a configuration formed by the spatial arrangements of four or five amino acids and have an average linear dimension of about 20 A.

Spis treści

1. Introduction.- 1. Organization of the Immune System.- 2. Antibody Structure.- 3. The Theory of Clonal Selection.- 2. Hinge and Valence Effects on Antibody Binding Properties.- 1. General Considerations.- 2. The Two-Particle Probability Density Function.- 3. The Crothers-Metzger Model.- 4. Analysis of Experiments.- 5. Immunological Implications.- 3. Combining site heterogeneity. The free energy distribution function.- 1. Statement of the Problem.- 2. Inversion of the Binding Curve.- 3. Intramolecular Reactions.- 4. Immunological Implications.- 4. Combining Site Heterogeneity. Immunodiffusion.- 1. General Remarks.- 2. A Simple Diffusion-Reaction Model for Plaque Formation.- 2.1 Basic Concepts.- 2.2 The Equations.- 2.3 The Plaque Radius.- 3. The Solution.- 4. Applications.- 4.1 Estimation of the Diffusion Coefficient.- 4.2 Estimation of Average Affinity.- 5. The Theory of Plaque Growth Kinetics For A Lymphocyte SOURCE.- 1. Introduction.- 2. A Diffusion-Reaction Model.- 3. Solutions Under Limiting Conditions.- 3.1 The n-Dimensional Green1 s Function.- 3.2 The Solution in Three Dimensions.- 3.3 The Solution in Two Dimensions.- 4. Models Allowing Reversible Reactions.- 5. A Diffusion-Transport-Reaction Model. Electrophoresis.- 6. Predictions of the Theory.- 6.1 Constraints on Parameters.- 6.2 Plaque Growth Characteristics. Comparison With Experiment.- 6. Plaque Inhibition: Growth In The Presence Of Competitive Interactions.- 1. Introduction.- 2. IgG Plaque Inhibition.- 2.1 A Generalized Diffusion-Reaction Model.- 2.2 Inhibition by Univalent Molecules.- 2.3 Inhibition by Multivalent Molecules.- 3. Predictions.- 7. Applications Of Plaque Growth Theory And Immunological Implications.- 1. The IgM Response.- 2. The IgG Response.- 3. Summary of Conclusions.- 8. Dynamical Phenomena on Lymphocyte Membranes.- 1. Background and Definitions.- 2. The Dynamics of Antigen-Antibody Aggregation in Three Dimensions.- 2.1 The Aggregate Size Distribution Function.- 2.2 The Role of Diffusion.- 2.3 Aggregation as a Branching Process. Critical Behavior.- 3. Critical Coalescence on Lymphocyte Membranes.- 4. Immunological Implications of the Model.- 5. Future Problems.