Description
Relevance: As a monomeric immunoglobulin that is predominately involved in the secondary antibody response and the only isotype that can pass through the human placenta, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is synthesized and secreted by plasma B cells, and constitutes 75% of serum immunoglobulins in humans. IgG antibodies protect the body against the pathogens by agglutination and immobilization, complement activation, toxin neutralization, as well as the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). IgG tetramer contains two heavy chains (50 kDa) and two light chains (25 kDa) linked by disulfide bonds, that is the two identical halves form the Y-like shape. IgG is digested by pepsin proteolysis into Fab fragment (antigen-binding fragment) and Fc fragment ("crystallizable" fragment). IgG1 is most abundant in serum among the four IgG subclasses (IgG1, 2, 3 and 4) and binds to Fc receptors (FcgammaR) on phagocytic cells with high affinity.
Function: Constant region of immunoglobulin heavy chains. Immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, are membrane-bound or secreted glycoproteins produced by B lymphocytes. In the recognition phase of humoral immunity, the membrane-bound immunoglobulins serve as receptors which, upon binding of a specific antigen, trigger the clonal expansion and differentiation of B lymphocytes into immunoglobulins-secreting plasma cells. Secreted immunoglobulins mediate the effector phase of humoral immunity, which results in the elimination of bound antigens