Dual Effect of Antigen-Antibody Complexes and Its Role in Diseases

Antigen and antibody bind together to form immune complexes (ICs), which play vital role in the process of defence in the immune system. Formation of these ICs has both detrimental and beneficial effects on the host. The pathogenic role of ICs was found involved in some of the infectious diseases and various autoimmune diseases; on the other side, the same complexes are being explored as panacea for certain diseases and are also used as diagnostic tools. Thus, in this review, the dual role of the ICs is discussed. Apart from that, the assays and methods that can be employed to measure these complexes under various circumstances are also discussed.