G immunoglobulins and immunoglobulins M, also known as IgG and IgM, are antibodies that the body produces when it comes into contact with a type of invasive microorganism. These antibodies are produced to promote the elimination of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, as well as the toxins that these microorganisms produce when they invade the body.
Because they are important for evaluating the body’s immune response to infections, measuring IgG and IgM can help diagnose a variety of diseases. Thus, depending on the test indicated by the doctor, it is possible to know if these immunoglobulins are present in the circulation in the blood and, therefore, if the person has the infection or has had contact with the infectious agent.
- IgG and IgM are proteins produced by the body to defend it from infectious agents and their toxins.
- IgM is the first antibody to occur in case of infection.
- Considered a marker of the acute phase of infection.
- This immunoglobulin is responsible for the activation of the supplement system.
- Which is a protein-formed system.
- Which indicates that there is an infection and promotes the elimination of the invasive infectious agent.
IgG occurs a little later, but still in the acute phase of infection, but occurs according to the invading microorganism, considered more specific, in addition to remain circulating in the blood, protecting the person from possible future infections by it. Microorganism. Understand how the immune system works.
The production of IgG is also induced by vaccination, in order to protect the body from a specific infectious agent. Therefore, IgGs are a type of memory that the body creates for the rest of life.
Serological examination of IgG and IgM can detect the stage of several diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, rubella and cytomegalovirus infection, for example. When a new infection occurs, the first antibodies to occur are IgM, which decreases as the infection is controlled, resulting in IgG, which remain for the rest of their lives.
The person never came into contact with the microorganism
The person came into contact with the microorganism during an ancient infection or received the vaccine successfully.
The person has been suffering or have an acute infection for a few days.
Thus, the existence of large amounts of IgM for rubella, for example, is a sign that the infection is recent, and when its levels drop remain those of IgG, which means that the infection is controlled and that the body produces specific antibodies against this virus, thus obtaining an immune memory for this disease.
Thus, during close contact with the virus, the risk of developing the disease would be minimal, as the person would have specific IgG antibodies against rubella that would act immediately. The same is true of vaccination, where inactive viruses that induce the formation of specific IgG are used in most cases.
During pregnancy, your doctor may perform blood tests to identify infections the woman has already had and assess her immune status by measuring antibodies specific to each of the infectious agents.
There are 5 infections that, if left during pregnancy, can present a high risk of transmission to the fetus, being even more serious when the mother without antibodies to any of these viruses, acquires the disease during pregnancy, as is the case with toxoplasmosis. syphilis, rubella, herpes simplex and cytomegalovirus. Find out how cytomegalovirus can affect your baby and your pregnancy.
Therefore, it is very important to receive the rubella vaccine approximately one month before pregnancy and perform a serological test to treat other infections in advance.
Immunoglobulins G and M can be differentiated according to biochemical and molecular characteristics, with the size, electrical charge and amount of carbohydrates in their constitution, which directly influences their function.
Immunoglobulins are structures similar to the letter “Y” and are made up of heavy chains and light chains. The completion of one of the light chains is always the same among immunoglobulins, being known as the constant region of the light chain, while the termination of other light chains may vary between immunoglobulins, being known as the variable region.
In addition, there are regions of complementarity in heavy and light chains, which correspond to the region in which the antigen is able to join.
Thus, from the assessment of biochemical and molecular characteristics, it is possible to differentiate the types of immunoglobulins, including IgG and IgM, in which IgG corresponds to the highest circulating immunoglobulin in plasma and IgM to the highest immunoglobulin present in the intravascular space. in addition to having their regions and variable purposes, which has an impact on their role.