Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from some form of allergic disease, and the incidence is increasing. When most of us think of allergies, we think of sneezing, a runny nose or watery eyes. While those are symptoms of some types of allergic disease, an allergic reaction is actually a product of several events occurring within your immune system. The immune system serves as the body s defense mechanism against the countless different substances present in the air we breathe, the foods we eat, and the things we touch. Common allergens include pollen, mold, animal dander, and cockroach and house dust mite droppings.
Antibodies circulate in the bloodstream and are present in almost all bodily fluids.
They help to capture unwanted invaders. People who have allergies have an antibody called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE . When allergens first enter the body of a person predisposed to allergies, a series of reactions occurs and allergen-specific IgE antibodies are produced. Following IgE production, these antibodies travel to cells called mast cells , which are particularly plentiful in the nose, eyes, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. The IgE antibodies attach themselves to the surface of the mast cells and wait for their particular allergen.