Agglutinin

Agglutinin is also known as an antibody. Agglutinogens are known as the antigens. In the time of immune response, the agglutinin particles clump the blood particles together and change their state from fluid to a thicky mass. It means agglutinin is a major component of the blood-clumping process. In this article, we are going to discuss agglutinin and the related aspects of it in detail.

Agglutination

What is Agglutinin?

Agglutinin is one type of antibody that helps the bloodstream to aggregate and coagulate. It means this antibody aggregates the antigens by binding them in an antigen-binging site of the foreign antibodies. Some sugar-binding protein lectins are also known as agglutinin majorly found in the blood serums of normal human beings and animals. When foreign antigens like bacteria or protozoa are found in the bloodstream, it causes coagulation. 

Here are some major facts about agglutinin: 

• It can be antibodies that bind to antigens or other substances like lectins into sugar.
• The agglutination is a part of the immune response that marks the foreign cells for destruction. 
• Agglutinin generally agglutinates the bacteria and red blood cells to remove them through the process of phagocytosis. 
• When agglutinin is added to the suspension of different particles that contain a specific type of antigen it sticks together and leads to a clump.

Agglutination and Agglutination Reaction

Agglutination is a process of clumping the particles together in response to the specific antibody. It is an antigen-antibody reaction that happens when an antigen molecule triggers the immune response. This process has different purposes including detecting the presence of specific antigens or antibodies in blood, saliva, urine, and CDF. It also helps in the process of identifying the specific strains of bacteria in different microbiological structures.

The agglutination reaction has so many types. The reaction happens when the clustering of the particles takes place due to a certain Ag. The Ag is combined with its Ab in the presence of electrolytes at a certain temperature and pH. There are two major types of agglutination reactions as mentioned below. 

• Slide Agglutination:This is the fastest and most convenient way to identify the presence of the antibodies that perform the agglutination process. 
• Tube Agglutination: It is a common technique to estimate the actual quantity of the Ab. It is a method used to determine the concentration of different antibodies that can be present in the patient’s immune serum.

Agglutinin and Agglutinogen

Agglutinin is an antibody that helps the antigens to clump together which is known as agglutination. In the context of blood type, agglutinins are the antibodies that are present in the plasma. It recognizes the specific antigens and binds them together on the surface of RBCs. The agglutinogen is an antigen that is generally made of proteins and carbohydrates. The agglutinogens stimulate the production of specific antibodies by our immune system. In the context of blood typing, the agglutinogens are the antigens that determine the blood type.

Here are the major differences between Agglutinin and Agglutinogen as mentioned below.

Aspects	Agglutinin	Agglutinogen
Definition	It is an antibody that causes agglutination process.	It is an antigen that stimulates the production of antibody.
Function	It causes the clumping of the cells.	It stimulates the process of antibody production.
Location	Present in Plasma.	Found on the surface of the RBC.
Specificity	Binds the specific antigens.	Generally determines the type of blood.
Examples	Anti-A, Anti-B antigens.	A and B antigens in ABO blood group.

Agglutination vs Coagulation

Here are the major differences between the Agglutination vs Coagulation as mentioned below.

Aspects	Agglutination	Coagulation
Definition	Clumping process of the blood particles.	Transformation of the liquids into a solid of jelly like state.
Occurrence	Very common in immunology. Helps to know the blood tye and dectects the pathogens.	Associated with the blood clotting.
Mechanisms	It involves with the specific molecular interactions like antibody and antigen binding.	It involves with the reaction of different clotting factors and platelets.
Application	Can be used in different domestic tests, detect pathogen and blood type.	Important for wound healing and prevents excessive blood loss.

Agglutinin Disease

Cold Agglutinin Disease or CAD is a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the immune system of the red blood cells. 

• During this disease, our body produces antibodies that clump together and destroy our red blood cells at low temperatures. 
• The erythrocytes have a lifespan of around 120 days and a short lifespan of erythrocytes may lead to anemia. 
• Cold Agglutinin Disease affects the fingers, nose, and ears. 
• Cold Agglutinin Disease can happen due to food allergies, inhalants, and different bacterial or viral infections. 
• There are some other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache that may happen due to this disease.

Conclusion – Agglutinin

Agglutinin is one type of antibody that helps the bloodstream to aggregate and coagulate. It means this antibody aggregates the antigens by binding them in an antigen-binging site of the foreign antibodies. Agglutinin is a major component of the blood-clumping process. When the agglutinin and agglutinogens bind together in the time of immune response, clumping generally takes place. Cold Agglutinin Disease or CAD is a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the immune system of the red blood cells. Agglutination is a process of clumping the particles together in response to the specific antibody. It is an antigen-antibody reaction that happens when an antigen molecule triggers the immune response. 

FAQs – Agglutinin

What is an Agglutinin In Blood?

Agglutinins are antibodies that cause the red blood cells to clump together. Cold agglutinins are active at cold temperatures.

What is Agglutinin and Agglutinogen?

Agglutinins and agglutinogens are both proteins that react together during an immune response. Agglutinins are also known as antibodies. Agglutinogens are also known as antigens. When these bind together, clumping occurs, which is called agglutination.

Why are Antibodies Called Agglutinins?

These antibodies are called agglutinins because they bind multiple antigens together and form a lattice-like structure seen as clumping by the naked eye.

Which Blood Group has No Agglutinin?

The subject is blood group A if agglutination occurred with the Anti-A test serum; group B if agglutination occurred with the Anti-B test serum; group AB if agglutination occurred with both test serums, and O if there was no agglutination in either case.

What is the Role of the Agglutinin?

Agglutinins are molecules capable of agglutinating foreign cells (tests include bacteria and vertebrate erythrocytes) and possibly enhancing their removal by phagocytosis.

What are the Two Types of Agglutinin?

Agglutination is of three types they are direct agglutination, passive agglutination, and passive hemagglutination. Examples of agglutinins are lectins and antibodies.

What is Agglutinin Disease?

Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the premature destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis). Autoimmune diseases occur when one’s own immune system attacks healthy tissue. More specifically, CAD is a subtype of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Is Agglutinin Present in Serum?

Agglutinin, substance that causes particles to congeal in a group or mass, particularly a typical antibody that occurs in the blood serums of immunized and healthy humans and animals.

Is Agglutinin a Protein?

Agglutinin is a glycoprotein that migrates electrophoretically as a gamma-globulin. Its molecular weight was determined to be 50,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.