Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Murine Nasal Lavage Fluid Collection without Blood Contamination
Published on: July 11, 2025
Natural serum IgM maintains immunological homeostasis and prevents autoimmunity
Jessica J Manson1, Claudia Mauri, Michael R Ehrenstein
1Department of Rheumatology, University College London, London, UK.
Abstract:
Natural (i.e. low-affinity, preimmune) IgM has a wide range of actions in the immune system. That IgM is important in defence against infection has been recognised for many years but recently, due to the generation of mouse models specifically deficient in serum IgM, other functions of serum IgM have been revealed. The participation of natural IgM in autoimmunity has been a subject of speculation for some time, but there is recent definitive evidence that demonstrates its protective role. This review focuses on these new areas of research, which also show that many pathologies not normally recognised as having an immunological basis are modulated by serum IgM.
Related Concept Videos
Immunological Memory
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Humoral Immune Responses
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Antibody Structure
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Homeostatic Imbalance
However, sometimes these feedback loops fail,...
