Question

How do the antibodies destroy the substance produced by an antigen?

Answer 1

Antibodies in the human body play a crucial role; they are responsible for protecting the body from pathogens and toxins; they are the ones which keep the immunity in a human body stable under all unexpected infections. The antibodies are secreted into the mucosa and blood once they recognise any foreign substances in the body.

Complete answer:
Antibodies have unique development and arrangement; they have a definite binding site which helps them to bind to the foreign antigen molecules and destroy them.
There are T Cells and B cells in our body which can recognise the antigen and secrete the antibodies into the blood to attack the antigens.

The antibodies can destroy the antigen substances by following methods:
- Neutralization
- Opsonization

In neutralization the antibodies bind to the antigen or foreign molecules which could be virus, bacteria or any foreign tissue and neutralise the activity of the virus and its secretion and release the inactivated virus hence during the neutralization the activity of the antigen is disabled.

Opsonization in this method the antibody binds with the bacteria and forms an antigen- antibody complex which helps in starting the antibacterial activity as they are in close proximity the antibody completely grabs the antigen from its surface and engulf the bacteria and destroys its activity.

Note: The antibodies can destroy the antigens in many ways it can be through antibody mediated cell cytotoxicity, phagocytosis, activation of complement and cross talk with receptor as the antibody constitute the ability to destroy the antigen in any way possible the antibody which are unique for their activity are released to destroy the antigens.