is there any difference between immunoglobulin and antibody or they are just synonyms of each other?
Immunoglobulins are a class of glycoproteins to which antibodies belong. Both immunoglobulin and antibody are made up of heavy and light chains. Both types of molecules comprise variable and constant regions as well. But, immunoglobulins remain attaching to the plasma membrane of B cells. Therefore, they also possess a transmembrane domain in their structure. In contrast, antibodies can be found free in the circulation. Hence, they lack a transmembrane domain.
I think that, when we speak of the functional aspects we use the term antibody and when we speak of the structural aspects we use the term immunoglobulin.
The two are normally used interchangeably to mean the same thing.
In my view, As you proposed they are synonyms, nevertheless, you may find the uses of Antibody in the kits or dataSheet of Abs producers/companies, while Immunoglobulin perhaps more scientific, i.e. you could find that theoretical/literature
Immunoglobulins are a class of glycoproteins to which antibodies belong. Both immunoglobulin and antibody are made up of heavy and light chains. Both types of molecules comprise variable and constant regions as well. But, immunoglobulins remain attaching to the plasma membrane of B cells. Therefore, they also possess a transmembrane domain in their structure. In contrast, antibodies can be found free in the circulation. Hence, they lack a transmembrane domain.
They are usually used interchangeably. Ig (or immunoblobulin) or antibodies may be secreted from plasma cells derived from B cells and thus Igs are on B cells and in serum (but the secreted form is missing the transmembrane part because it is from an alternatively spiced RNA product). Lots of interesting molecular biology for Igs! They (the genes for Ig heavy chain) also class switch from IgM to either IgG or IgA or IgE (but keep the variable part the same as the IgM so the memory B cell is able to recognize the same antigen!)
Technically (from the old days when we did not know what the T cell receptor was) the TCR might have also been called an "antibody" because, after all it does "see" the foreign object - but that would be too confusing, so we didn't go that direction. Best to all. Bonnie
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