An antibody is a protein created by the immune system in
response to exposure to an antigen. When you are exposeed to an antigen, which is
usually a protein from outside the body, the B lymphocyte cells (a type of white blood
cell) create antibodies, which are proteins specially designed to combine with and bond
to the antigen. The purpose of this bonding is to help the body inactivate the antigen,
which may be associated with a bacteria or virus which can cause illness. Vaccines cause
your body to develop antigens so that you will not catch an illness, or at least will
get a much milder case, if you are exposed to it.
Newborn
babies get antibodies from their mother's body and from her breast milk, which keeps
them safe from various infections until their own immune systems begin to function after
birth.
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