The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is known to be the most dreaded virus in the world, as it affects the central part of the immune system – the t-helper cells – and makes it ineffective. As a result, the body is no longer capable of fighting even the least dangerous germs with which people can get in contact throughout life. It is no exception that people infected with HIV die of minor diseases like a cold or a fever. Hence, it is the aim of every researcher in the field of HIV to find a way to hinder the virus from controlling the t-helper cells.
South African researchers have recently found out that some people have the capacity to produce antibodies which are able to neutralize the virus strains. They hope to find ways to use the information of these people’s antibodies to produce wide-ranging vaccines for those people who do not have these antibodies naturally.
How it works
The medical scientists have learned that the virus adds a sugar molecule to its surface in order to trick the immune system. Some people, however, have antibodies which recognize and neutralize these sugar molecules and thus make the virus ineffective. For the full story read here.
Antibody production
In order to develop a vaccine – no matter against which disease – it needs many different antibody testing periods. The production of antibodies takes place in laboratories of companies like USCN, which have made it their goal to produce and quantify antibodies in animals and send them to the specialized research institutes all over the world. In prepared Elisa kits and other research applications, the scientists in these institutes can test the reactivity of these antibodies with certain liquids, like blood or serums, containing antigens. In that way, the scientists can make assumptions about the effect of antibody therapies in the context of certain diseases.
picture: Gerd Altmann / pixelio.de
South African researchers have recently found out that some people have the capacity to produce antibodies which are able to neutralize the virus strains. They hope to find ways to use the information of these people’s antibodies to produce wide-ranging vaccines for those people who do not have these antibodies naturally.
How it works
The medical scientists have learned that the virus adds a sugar molecule to its surface in order to trick the immune system. Some people, however, have antibodies which recognize and neutralize these sugar molecules and thus make the virus ineffective. For the full story read here.
Antibody production
In order to develop a vaccine – no matter against which disease – it needs many different antibody testing periods. The production of antibodies takes place in laboratories of companies like USCN, which have made it their goal to produce and quantify antibodies in animals and send them to the specialized research institutes all over the world. In prepared Elisa kits and other research applications, the scientists in these institutes can test the reactivity of these antibodies with certain liquids, like blood or serums, containing antigens. In that way, the scientists can make assumptions about the effect of antibody therapies in the context of certain diseases.
picture: Gerd Altmann / pixelio.de