role of antibodies

• plasma cells secrete antibodies for:

  1. agglutination- clumping for phagocytes
  2. lysis- bursting of bacterial cells
  3. opsonisation- coat and mark pathogens for phagocytes
  4. neutralisation- neutralising harmful toxins
• role of antibodies- opsonisation

  1. antibodies produced by B cells bind to antigens on surface of bacterium
  2. then antibody binds to antibody receptor on a macrophage
  3. macrophage engulfs antibodies and bacteria
  4. lysosomes fuse with vacuole, releasing digestive enzymes(lysozymes) which destroy bacteria