When microbes, toxins (poisons excreted by microbes) or any other foreign substances enter into body, the body automatically produces protective substance called “antibodies” in order to destroy these.. Foreign substances which cause the production of antibodies are called “antigens”. Antibodies are powerful protein-based protective weapons against foreign cells entering into the body. B cells produce the triple protein-based weapons. Consequently it can be said that, antibodies are proteins against antigens. Antibodies deactivate foreign substances attacking the body. Antibodies have two main duties.

The primary duty of antibodies is to attach to the foreign cell (antibody) which has entered into the body and its secondary duty is to ruin the biological structure of the foreign cell it has attached to and to destroy these cells. Antibodies present in blood and in extracellular liquid attach to pathogen bacteria or viruses. Thus, they mark the foreign molecules they attach to for the fighter cells of the body and they deactivate them. This is like shooting an enemy tank in the battle field by a directed rocket. When you shoot the tank, it cannot move or fire, it becomes useless.

Antibody attaches perfectly to the enemy (antibody) in a three-dimensional way, just like a key settles in the lock. The body can produce antibody for almost any enemy it faces. the antibody produced are not in a single type. An antibody that can cope up with its enemy is produced for each enemy. One antibody effective in one disease is ineffective in the other. Production of a special antibody for each enemy is a quite extraordinary thing that needs consideration. In order for such thing to happen, B cells shall be able to recognize every enemy they face and know its structure well. On the other hand; there are numerous enemies (antibody) in nature. This is like being able to produce the exact key that suits the lock among the other millions of locks, at first sight.

The key point here is that, the producer of the keydoesn’t take the lock in his hand and observe it carefully or use any mould but makes production by heart. It is rather difficult for a human being to keep the shape of even a single key in mind. So, is it possible that one can memorize the three-dimensional shapes of millions of keys that can open each of the millions of locks? Certainly not. However; the invisible B cell keeps millions of information in its memory and uses these in appropriate combinations consciously when required. It is a great miracle for human beings that a tiniest cell can host millions of information. And one more thing which is as important as this is that, the cell uses these information to protect human health.

Antibodies are made of different types of proteins and 20 different types of antibodies. These are arranged in a perfect order. All proteins can become useless with a tiniest fault in the order of amino acids, which means not even a tiniest fault is allowed in this order. The data of thousands of different types of proteins is available in the genes in the databank of its own cell nucleus. These genes are necessary for the production of antibodies which are a type of protein. Antibodies are molecules in glycoprotein developed by the immune systems of multi cellular animal organisms against foreign organic substances. These molecules warn and protect the organism against harmful factors.

In conclusion, antibodies are defence substances produced by the body in order to deactivate pathogens. These substances warn and protect the body against the harmful factors in advance.

Clinical Psychologist Beyhan Perim Secmen