Ehrlich supposed that living cells have side-chains in the same way dyes have side-chains which are related to their coloring properties. These side chains can link with a particular toxin, just as Emil Fisher said enzymes must bind to their receptors "like a key in a lock."
Ehrlich theorized that a cell under threat grew additional side-chains to bind the toxin, and that these additional side chains broke off to become the antibodies that are circulated through the body. It was these antibodies that Ehrlich first described as "magic bullets" in search of toxins.
See also
- The Magic Bullet a 1940 movie.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Dyphtheria
- Syphilis
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday May 30, 2008 at 14:29:00 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
Ehrlich supposed that living cells have side-chains in the same way dyes have side-chains which are related to their coloring properties. These side chains can link with a particular toxin, just as Emil Fisher said enzymes must bind to their receptors "like a key in a lock."
Ehrlich theorized that a cell under threat grew additional side-chains to bind the toxin, and that these additional side chains broke off to become the antibodies that are circulated through the body. It was these antibodies that Ehrlich first described as "magic bullets" in search of toxins.
See also
- The Magic Bullet a 1940 movie.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Dyphtheria
- Syphilis
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday May 30, 2008 at 14:29:00 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
Copyright © 2008, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.