What is an "antibody"?

What is an "antibody"?

Harold Kaiser (Practicing Allergist and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School) gives expert video advice on: What causes allergies?; What happens in my body when I have an allergic reaction?; Are allergies becoming more common? and more...

An antibody is the body's response to an immunogen or an antigen. By that, I mean, if you ingest or inhale or acquire something that is foreign to you, your body sets up a defense system. The body manufactures antibodies which help to fight this. This can occur in diseases such as measles or mumps or chicken pox and it can occur as a result of immunization or vaccination for these things. It can also occur in allergic diseases when the patient is exposed to an allergen, something that causes an allergic reaction. The body then forms antibodies to help to shut down this allergic reaction. It's a long-winded explanation and it's over-simplified, but antibodies help the body fight infection or inflammation.