Synonyms Rhesus, rhesus factor, blood groups Introduction The rhesus factor is, similar to the AB0 blood group system, a classification of blood groups determined by proteins on the surface of red blood cells (erythrocytes). Like all cells, red blood cells contain a large number of protein molecules against which the body’s immune responses can be … Rhesus – System
Epidemiology In Germany and Central Europe, about 83% of the population is rhesus positive, which may lead to shortages of suitable transfusion blood for rhesus negative recipients of blood donations. The situation for rhesus-negative recipients is even more critical in Eastern Europe, where some of them represent only 4% of the population. Clinical significance The … Epidemiology | Rhesus – System
Autoantibodies Autoantibodies are antibodies that the body forms in order to recognize and bind endogenous cells in tissues, hormones or other antibodies. By binding the autoantibodies to these structures, the immune system is activated and fights these structures. Autoantibodies are produced in the context of autoimmune diseases. Autoantibodies therefore do not help our immune system … Autoantibodies | Antibodies
What are antibodies? Antibodies – also known as immunoglobulins or short: Ak or Ig – are important components of the body’s own defence system, which are formed by the B cells or plasma cells, a subclass of lymphocytes. This is a group of proteins formed by the human organism which serve to defend the body … Antibodies
Structure of the antibodies The structure of each antibody is usually the same and consists of four different amino acid chains (amino acids are the smallest building blocks of proteins), two of which are called heavy chains and two are called light chains. The two light and the two heavy chains are completely identical and … Structure of the antibodies | Antibodies
What are antigens? Antigens are structures or substances on the surface of cells in the human body. They are mostly proteins, but can also be fats, carbohydrates or even completely different compositions. Either they are the body’s own structures, which under normal circumstances are always present in the human body, or they are foreign structures … What are antigens? | Antibodies
Antibody treatmentbehandlung As described above, antibodies actually serve to protect against diseases, i.e. they are part of the immune system. However, some diseases, such as cancer, cannot be fought by our immune system alone, as it is not fast and effective enough for this. For some of these diseases, many years of research have led … Antibody treatmentbehandlung | Antibodies
