IMMUNOCOMPLEX: DEFINITION AND MEANING

Immune complex: the medical meaning of a crucial term in health

In the medical context, the immune complex represents a concept of considerable importance. Fundamental to the immune system, the immune complex plays a critical role in the body's defense against disease.

What is an immune complex and what does it do?

An immune complex or immunocomplex is a complex made up of multiple bonds between a antigen and a antibody. The ratio between the amount of antigens and antibodies determines the crafts of the immune complex and this in turn determines its effect and its function.

It has various roles in the economy of our organism: it can participate in the production and regulation of antibodies, eliminate opsonized and therefore foreign immune complexes, or contribute to the activation of dehydrite cells and macrophages, fundamental components in immune response.

How are immune complexes formed?

Their formation occurs when antibodies and antigens are in the liquid phase, reaching optimal concentrations for interaction. Antibodies, produced by the immune system in response to specific antigens, they bind precisely to such pathogens or foreign substances.

When this interaction occurs in which circulating antibodies bind to antigens, antibodies are created immune complexes. This structure is crucial as it signals the immune system of the presence of potential threats, facilitating their removal.

In particular, i phagocytes, like the macrophages, recognize and incorporate immune complexes, contributing to the effective elimination of pathogens and the regulation of the immune response.

Circulating immune complexes: a key role in the immune response

Circulating immune complexes (CICs) arise frominteraction between different types of antigens and specific antibodies, including viral, bacterial, tumor and allergenic ones.

Normally eliminated by the mononuclear-macrophage system, their accumulation can favor autoimmune diseases such as glomerulonephritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The presence of CIC is not a sure sign of disease, but their persistence requires more in-depth evaluations, also considering other clinical markers and symptoms.

In some normal situations, such as pregnancy and after large meals, the presence of CIC can be physiological. Understanding this subtle interplay between defense and complexity is essential for accurate health assessment.

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