autoimmune antibody
Quick Summary
An autoantibody is a harmful antibody that mistakenly targets the body's own healthy cells, known as self-antigens. Normally, the immune system eliminates these autoantibodies through a self-regulatory process. However, when this process fails, autoantibodies can cause damage by triggering the destruction or impairing the function of healthy cells.1
For instance, in autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoantibodies bind to red blood cells, leading to their lysis. In Graves disease, autoantibodies stimulate the thyroid gland to overproduce hormones. Autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, occur when the immune system, which normally protects against foreign invaders, turns against the body's own tissues.12
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