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Microbiology · Chapter 13

Anatomy of an Antibody

An antibody is a Y-shaped protein a plasma cell makes to lock onto one specific target. Its shape is the story: the tips vary to fit an antigen, while the stem stays constant to call in the rest of the immune system. Tap a part — on the diagram or in the list — to take it apart.

Antigen-binding site

heavy chainslight chainsantigen
The parts of an antibodytap one to explore