Monday, March 2, 2015

Study group discussion: Difference between antibody and anti-toxin

What is the difference between an antibody and an antitoxin? Wikipedia says that antitoxin is also an antibody. But what's the difference between the two?

And if we take a vaccine, what is formed-an antibody or an antitoxin?

My understanding is a toxin cam be an antigen. An antigen is not necessarily a toxin. So an antitoxin can be an antibody, but not all antibodies are antitoxins.

Anti-toxin is something that neutralizes the toxins released by bacteria. Ex: Tetanospasmin released by Cl. tetani.
These conditions are life threatening acutely.. So you give pre-formed anti-toxin from horse serum or from multiple plasma donors.

Anti-toxin are antibodies. But you need to remember it is especially for neutralizing toxins released by bacteria.
Whereas, antibody is a very vast term. They can be formed against the cellwall of bacteria as well as one's own antigens (autoimmunity).

Multiple plasma donour means from many organisms?

When people donate blood, the antibodies from several of these people's blood is collected and given

Good explanation, Sakkan!

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