The five-armed IgM with the attached CD5L protein (red)
The five-armed IgM with the attached CD5L protein ( red ) - The structure of one of the most abundant antibodies in our blood, Immunoglobulin M (IgM), turns out to be different than previously thought: it contains an additional protein known as CD5L. This discovery, made by Utrecht researchers under the guidance of Albert Heck and colleagues at Sanquin in Amsterdam, is now published in the scientific journal PNAS . Beyond the need for adjustments in biochemistry and immunology textbooks, this newfound understanding also carries implications for therapeutic applications. First step immune response. When a pathogen like a virus or bacterium infiltrates our body, IgM is the first antibody produced by our immune system. One way IgM prevents infection is by binding to a pathogen. This binding hinders the pathogen from attaching to a cell, consequently preventing it from entering that host cell.
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