In a pair of articles, we present a generalized quantitative model for the homeostatic function of clonal humoral immune system. In this second paper, we describe how antibody production controls the saturation of antigens and the network of antibody interactions that emerges in the epitome space with the establishment of the immune system. Efficient control of antigens, be it self or foreign, requires the maintenance of antibody concentrations that saturate antigen to relevant levels. Simple calculations suggest that the observed diverse recognition of antigens by natural antibodies is only possible by cross-reactivity whereby particular clones of antibodies bind to diverse targets and shared recognition of particular antigens by multiple antibody clones contribute to the maintenance of antigen control. We also argue that natural antibodies are none else than the result of thymus-independent responses against immunological self. We interpret and explain antibody production and function in a virtual molecular interaction space and as a network of interactions. Indeed, the general quantitative (GQM) model we propose is in agreement with earlier models, confirms some assumptions and presumably provides the theoretical basis for the construction of a real antibody network using the sequence and interaction database data.

中文翻译：

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通用的定量抗体稳态模型：抗原饱和，天然抗体和定量抗体网络。

在一对文章中，我们提出了克隆体液免疫系统的稳态功能的通用量化模型。在第二篇论文中，我们描述了抗体产生如何控制抗原的饱和度以及随着免疫系统的建立而出现在缩影空间中的抗体相互作用网络。要有效地控制抗原，无论是自身的还是外来的，都需要维持使抗原饱和至相关水平的抗体浓度。简单的计算表明，观察到的天然抗体对抗原的多种识别只有通过交叉反应才能实现，其中抗体的特定克隆与多种靶标结合，多个抗体克隆对特定抗原的共享识别有助于维持抗原控制。我们还认为，天然抗体无非是胸腺非依赖性免疫自我反应的结果。我们解释和解释抗体的产生和功能在虚拟分子相互作用空间和作为相互作用的网络。确实，我们提出的通用定量（GQM）模型与早期模型相符，证实了一些假设，并可能为使用序列和相互作用数据库数据构建真实抗体网络提供了理论基础。