What is an IgM antibody?

IgM antibody or immunoglobulin antibody is one of five types of antibodies that the body produces in response to attacking antigens. Antibodies are proteins found in body fluids such as blood and saliva that help the immune system to fight infection. They are always specific, which means that the corresponding specific antibody is also produced for each type of antigen. Antigens are substances that are considered foreign to the body and whose presence often triggers the production of antibodies. Examples of antigens are viruses, fungi, parasites and bacteria.

For an individual with a healthy immune system, the invasion of antigen could initiate an event chain to fight the attack. When bacteria or viruses enter the body, white blood cells (WBC) often identify these organisms as foreign to the body. In turn, they activate plasma cells, another type of WBC, which are mostly responsible in the production of antibodies. These plasma cells produce an IgM antibody. Otyps of antibodies produced by plasmaThe cells are immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody, immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, immunoglobulin and (IgA) antibody and immunoglobulin D (IgD) antem.

Each type of antibody has certain actions and location in the body. IGM antibody is the largest of the antibodies and is found mainly in lymphatic fluid and blood. In general, it is responsible for neutralizing the invasion of antigen at an early stage of the disease until enough IgG antibodies are formed. For the second time, when the same antigen attacks the body, these specific IgG antibodies will be those that neutralize them. IGM antibody is often referred to as the first defense line and its presence in the blood often shows infection.

IgG antibodies are the most abundant and smallest antibodies and are mostly present in body fluids. IgE antibodies are found in the mucosa, lungs and skin and are often present in increased amounts of individuals with allergies. IGA Antibodies can doWalls on many body surfaces such as nose, vagina and eyes, and are responsible for the protection of these exposed areas to foreign substances. IgD antibodies often occur in small amounts in some body tissues.

A healthy immune system is often able to produce an IgM antibody and other types of antibodies during the infection. However, some factors may potentially weaken the immune system, which makes the person more susceptible to infections and other diseases. These factors include excessive intake of food containing sugar, exhaustion of oxygen in the body and side effects of certain treatment procedures such as chemotherapy. Individuals with a weak immune system are considered immunocompromised and can easily capture viral conditions such as flu that a healthy person could easily avert.