Antibody Modelling Kit

thingiverse

<h5>Antibody Design Package </h5> Our body's immune system protects us from getting ill by fighting off pathogens. At its core, our immune response relies on proteins called antibodies that are specifically designed to target and bind to specific molecules recognized by the immune system, known as antigens. These Y-shaped molecules are produced by B-cells, a type of special cell in the body, to neutralize and make it easier for the immune cells to destroy bacteria and viruses. This package is designed to model the interaction between an antibody (also referred to as immunoglobulin G, or IgG) and an antigen (Ag). By using magnets, you can stick your models to a magnetic whiteboard or simulate antibody binding by floating them on water. The models require some strategically placed magnets (3mm in diameter x 1mm in height cylindrical neodymium magnets), which can be ordered from usual suppliers. By using immunoglobulin adapter pieces, we can transform the IgG antibody into the IgA (2-fold) and IgM (5-fold) antibody types or use them with antigen pieces to build small 'viruses'. (Keep in mind that these models are not scaled accurately!) This is still an ongoing project, but it aims to visually demonstrate some of the fundamental principles of immune system biology. I am open to receiving comments and suggestions to improve the model! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm57pt_rR68&feature=youtu.be