Medical Encyclopedia: Antibody (Print Version)

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Medical Encyclopedia: Antibody

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002223.htm

Definition

Antibodies are a type of protein. They are produced by the immune system in response to foreign substances that may be a threat to the body -- such as chemicals, virus particles, spores, or bacterial toxins. (These foreign substances are called antigens.)

Each type of antibody is unique and defends the body against one specific type of antigen.

Update Date: 11/30/2006

Updated by: Donald Accetta, MD, MPH, President, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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