Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Antibody Structure

Antibody Structure

Overview
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...

Antibody Structure

Antibody Structure

Overview
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...

Antibody Structure and Classes

Antibody Structure and Classes

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are produced by B cells in response to foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. These proteins are critical for recognizing and neutralizing these substances, protecting the body from potential harm.
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Single Chain Variable Fragments Produced in Escherichia coli against Heat-Labile and Heat-Stable Toxins from Enterotoxigenic E. coli.

PloS one·2015

Same author

Interfacial cavity filling to optimize CD4-mimetic miniprotein interactions with HIV-1 surface glycoprotein.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2013

Same author

MiniCD4 microbicide prevents HIV infection of human mucosal explants and vaginal transmission of SHIV(162P3) in cynomolgus macaques.

PLoS pathogens·2012

Same author

The transcription factor encyclopedia.

Genome biology·2012

Same author

Stabilization of HIV-1 envelope in the CD4-bound conformation through specific cross-linking of a CD4 mimetic.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2011

Same author

Losac, the first hemolin that exhibits procogulant activity through selective factor X proteolytic activation.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2010

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Identification of Mouse and Human Antibody Repertoires by Next-Generation Sequencing

Identification of Mouse and Human Antibody Repertoires by Next-Generation Sequencing

Published on: March 15, 2019

Computer-assisted modeling of antibody variable domains.

Oscar H P Ramos¹

¹CEA ,iBiTecS, SIMOPRO, Gif-sur-Yvette, France. oscar.pereira-ramos@cea.fr

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|August 22, 2012

Summary

This study presents a non-automatic antibody modeling protocol for structure-function insights and engineering. The free software generates high-quality antibody models comparable to current web server standards.

Area of Science:

Structural biology
Computational chemistry
Immunology

Background:

Antibody modeling provides structure-function insights and enables rational engineering when experimental data is unavailable.
Various algorithms, software packages, and web servers exist for antibody modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe a novel, non-automatic antibody modeling protocol.
To enable local generation of molecular models using free software.
To achieve model quality comparable to existing web server standards.

Main Methods:

A non-automatic modeling process guided by antibody modeling principles.
Local generation of hybrid models for heavy- and light-chain variable domains using free software.
Grafting segments from homologous templates (framework and complementarity-determining regions), followed by mutation and energy minimization.

More Related Videos

An Open-Source Framework for Mass Calculation of Antibody-Based Therapeutic Molecules

An Open-Source Framework for Mass Calculation of Antibody-Based Therapeutic Molecules

Published on: June 16, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Identification of Mouse and Human Antibody Repertoires by Next-Generation Sequencing

Identification of Mouse and Human Antibody Repertoires by Next-Generation Sequencing

Published on: March 15, 2019

An Open-Source Framework for Mass Calculation of Antibody-Based Therapeutic Molecules

An Open-Source Framework for Mass Calculation of Antibody-Based Therapeutic Molecules

Published on: June 16, 2023

Main Results:

The protocol allows for the local generation of antibody models on common operating systems.
The quality of the generated models is comparable to those produced by standard antibody modeling web servers.
The protocol facilitates CDR-H3 optimization and model quality assessment.

Conclusions:

This protocol offers a viable alternative for antibody modeling, providing high-quality results without reliance on web servers.
The use of free software and a non-automatic approach allows for flexibility and control in antibody engineering.
The method aids in gaining structural insights and facilitating rational antibody design.