Immunochemistry studies the immune system’s responses to organisms and led to disease detection and treatment methods. It includes the study of antibodies, haptens, and antigens. Virology is a related field that studies viruses and their treatments.
Immunochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the immune system. This includes the body’s cellular and chemical responses to bacterial, fungal, and viral organisms. In the early 1900s, scientists Karl Landsteiner and Svante Arrhenius developed chemical methods to study antibodies and their antitoxin response to toxins. These studies eventually led to tests used to detect specific diseases and methods of treating different diseases.
Throughout human history, it has been understood that when a disease subsides, the individual who was ill is less likely to recur. In 1798, the English physician, Edward Jenner, pioneered a means of creating immunity to smallpox by injecting another person with the contents of a cowpox lesion. The result was immunization against smallpox. Scientists would later discover the actions and components of the immune system.
During the early stages of immunochemistry, researchers formulated methods for observing immune responses outside the body. These pioneers concluded that chemical reactions took place but weren’t sure what exactly triggered a reaction or how to reproduce this reaction. Laboratory research has revealed haptens, which are parts of antigens. The researchers eventually discovered that an immune response reaction occurred when the antibodies came into contact with haptens that were attached to specific proteins. Using the combined substance, further testing indicated that an antigenic reaction generally included the formation of a precipitate.
Continuous evaluation of antibodies and reagents revealed that these components of the immune system distinguished between molecular structures with even the slightest difference. Some substances produced a greater reaction than others. For example, compounds containing a carboxyl group elicited less response than substances containing a sulfonic group. Advances in immunochemistry eventually allowed researchers to study the binding and reaction properties of antibodies using luminescent molecules. Later research techniques usually involved electrophoresis.
In the early 20th century, scientists also developed the Wasserman test for syphilis. The test was commonly performed by combining a blood or cerebrospinal fluid sample with a sheep lipid. The antibodies combined with the lipid showed varying degrees of reaction, depending on the severity of the condition. This type of test was also effective for detecting malaria and tuberculosis. The tests weren’t foolproof, and false positives or negatives sometimes occurred. Currently, laboratory technicians use more sophisticated test methods.
Virology, or the study of viruses, is also a branch of immunochemistry that classifies viruses, analyzes how infections are acquired, and develops methods of treatment. Molecular evolution usually involves the study of microbiology at the level of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and proteins. This includes immunochemistry when studying disease processes and infection.
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