Is the process by which a pathogen is marked for ingestion and destruction by a phagocyte. Opsonization involves the binding of an opsonin, e.g., antibody, to a receptor on the pathogen's cell membrane.[1] After opsonin binds to the membrane, phagocytes are attracted to the pathogen. The Fab portion of the antibody binds to the antigen, whereas the Fc portion of the antibody binds to an Fc receptor on the phagocyte, facilitating phagocytosis.[2] The receptor-opsin complex can also create byproducts like C3b and C4b which are important components of the complement system. These components are deposited on the cell surface of the pathogen and aid in its destruction.[3]
The cell can also be destroyed by a process called antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, in which the pathogen does not need to be phagocytosed to be destroyed. During this process, the pathogen is opsonized and bound with the antibody IgG via its Fab domain. Then the antibody binds an immune effector cell via its Fc domain and this binding triggers a release of lysis products from the bound immune effector cell (monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and natural killer cells). This process can cause inflammation of surrounding tissues and damage to healthy cells.