Antibodies are a class of immunoglobulins produced by B lymphocytes that can specifically bind to antigens, and are used by the body to resist foreign substances, such as viruses, bacteria and other antigens. The monomer of an antibody is a Y-shaped molecule composed of 4 polypeptide chains. These include two identical heavy chains, and two identical light chains, with the peptide chains connected by disulfide bonds. Antibodies can be divided into different types according to their heavy chain constant regions, and different types of antibodies play different roles in the immune system. For viviparous mammals, there are 5 types, namely IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM, where "Ig" stands for Immunoglobulin.
The Type of Cat Antibodies
These types of antibodies differ in properties, function and the types of antigens they can bind in the cat, as shown in the table below.
| Type | Shape | Description |
| IgA | Y, double Y | It exists in mucosal tissues, such as the digestive tract, respiratory tract and genitourinary system. It also exists in saliva, tears and breast milk, especially colostrum, where the content of IgA is quite high. |
| IgD | Y | It exists as an antigen receptor on B cells that have not yet encountered an antigen and is used to stimulate the production of antimicrobial factors by basophils and mast cells. |
| IgE | Y | Combined with allergens, it stimulates the release of histamine from mast cells and basophils. This type is associated with allergic reactions and also protects the body from the threat of parasites. |
| IgG | Y | IgG is the most abundant antibody in serum and body fluids, accounting for 75% to 80% of total serum Ig. It is the only type of antibody that can cross the placenta to provide passive immunity to the fetus. |
| IgM | Pentagon | Monomeric IgM is expressed on the surface of B cells in a membrane-bound form and constitutes the B cell antigen receptor. Only the expression of mlgM is a marker of immature B cells. Secretory IgM is a pentamer and is the Ig with the largest molecular weight. It has a sedimentation coefficient of 19S and is called macroglobulin. Generally, it cannot pass through the blood vessel wall and is mainly present in the blood. |
BioVenic is a supplier of biological reagents and kits, developing diagnostic reagents for animal pathogens for many years. Based on our advanced antibody development technology platform, we develop and provide cat antibodies with a variety of different targets to study the immune response and disease of cats. Our antibodies are suitable for a range of applications including immunoprecipitation, western blotting, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. If you have any needs, please feel free to contact us.
