Immunoglobulin M is the major part of the early antibody response, especially in response to nonprotein bacterial antigens. The IgM molecule consists of five subunits that are linked by disulfide bonds and J chains. The antibody is not transferred across the placenta, and its polymeric structure makes for efficient agglutination. IgM readily fixes complement, allowing for the efficient lysis of antigen by primarily activating the classical complement pathway.
No comments:
Post a Comment