News

Setting it Straight - Issue #21

Written by Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty

Over the past two weeks we’ve looked at the basics of antibody (Ig) recognition and reflected a little on ways that the Y-shaped IgG molecule does its job of dealing with SARS-CoV-2. Most equate being vaccinated with a jab in the arm and the ‘product’ going in by what is essentially the intramuscular (IM) route. The intent of that means of delivery is to establish a polyclonal (see Antibody dreaming) antibody response that provides the highest possible concentrations (titres) of virus-specific, neutralising IgG molecules in our blood. Beyond that, as part of our overall immune memory to pathogens, the aim is that those antibodies will continue to circulate through the veins and arteries of our vasculature in the long term.