P

Purification denoted the cleaning of a raw product during a manufacturing procedure. Depending on the product, impurities, salts, liquid media, solvents, or water must be separated from the desired component. Numerous techniques were developed to accomplish this task: precipitation, extraction, distillation, chromatography, etc.

Post-translational modifications are molecular features of proteins that are attached to it after translation in the ribosome in higher organisms. Most prominent is the N-glycosylation of amino groups, leading to N-glycans. They often play a crucial regulatory role, e. g. afucosylated antibodies. 

Polyclonals which vary in their affinity and specificity towards multiple epitopes of an antigen because they are derived from many clones of B cells. Immunization of animals usually leads to the formation of numerous different antibodies with a broad distribution of specificities.

Phagocytosis is a major protective process and a constituent of the immune system. Phagocytes encapsulate pathogenic particles, ingest them and split them into their constituent amino acids, carbohydrates, etc. Phagocyte surfaces contain numerous receptors involved in regulation of phagocytosis. The opsonin receptor recognizes particles that are coated with antibodies (opsonization) and initiates phagocytosis.

Phagocytes are immune cells that fight pathogens and harmful substances by ingesting them and subsequent enzymatic digestion into their building blocks in a process called phagocytosis.

Phage display makes use of bacteria infecting phages that can be genetically engineered to display antibodies on their surface. They can be selected by their affinity towards their antigen, while uninteresting phages are washed away. The candidates are allowed to infect bacteria to multiply and then be harvested. This process is repeated with more stringent […]

An organism that is pathogenic to humans, i. e. disease-inducing. Examples are found among bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, worms, etc. However, not all bacteria, fungi and viruses are pathogenic to humans: some types may cause disease in animals but not in humans.