Antibody affinity maturation

The antibody response. This short video explains how B cells make antibodies that bind to and neutralize bacteria, parasites, and viruses (pathogens). The enzyme activation induced-cytidine deaminase (AID) mutates antibody genes randomly. B cells that produce antibodies that bind tightly (i.e. with high affinity) to pathogens are then selected by a micro-evolutionary process that occurs in the germinal center. This process leads to the affinity maturation of the antibody response and to neutralization of the invading pathogens. See www.albertomartinlab.ca for more details.