Comment by apple-skunk on 28/12/2021 at 02:02 UTC

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Antibodies are basically just free lymphocyte receptors*. As part of lymphocyte maturation, lymphocytes must pass the test of not self-reacting; for T lymphocytes for example, this process occurs in the medulla of the thymus. Specifically, B cell receptors are what eventually become antibodies. Therefore, in a healthy human, antibodies have already been previously tested for self-reactivity during B lymphocyte maturation. These B lymphocytes can then copy their receptors and release them as antibodies (after some modification beyond the scope of this comment) after differentiating to plasma cells.

• A caveat is needed when discussing B lymphocytes, whose receptors undergo ‘affinity maturation’ which is where the B cell will actually modify its receptor to bind better to a matching antigen once it is no longer naive. There isn’t evidence to my knowledge that this level of receptor modification significantly produces self-reactive antibodies (unless perhaps the epitope is structurally similar to human protein, e.g. rheumatic fever occurring after a group A strep infection due to molecular mimicry)

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