The gut immune system meets many foreign substances from food and microbes. A special antibody, immunoglobulin A (IgA), makes a mucosal barrier that traps and neutralizes pathogens and stops them from sticking to the intestine.
Researchers studied B cell responses in mice after immunization. They found two distinct pathways that produce IgA after immune stimulation. Most IgA made in the first three weeks did not come from germinal centers. Germinal center-derived IgA became detectable in weeks three through six. Surprisingly, non-germinal center IgA and germinal center IgA showed similar antigen specificity and similar numbers of mutations.
Difficult words
- antibody — a protein that recognizes and binds to germs
- immunoglobulin A — a type of antibody in mucous membranes
- mucosal — related to the lining inside the gut
- pathogen — a germ that can cause disease in peoplepathogens
- germinal center — part of lymph node where B cells changegerminal centers
- antigen specificity — how well an antibody recognizes a particular germ
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Discussion questions
- Why is a mucosal barrier useful in the gut?
- Have you ever had an immunization? How did it make you feel?
- Why is it important to study how the immune system makes antibodies?
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