Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig) are a form of protein. The body produces antibodies when antigens, which are substances that can cause damage are present. Parasites, bacteria, cancer cells and viruses are examples of antigens. ...
Several conditions can cause protein in your kidneys. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, or NIDDK, when blood passes through healthy kidneys, the kidneys filter out waste products and leave things...
Antibodies play a key role in immune system functioning within the body. Antibodies work by binding specific factors called antigens, and there are a range of antibodies in the body that target a range of antigens. Each antibody contains two heavy...
The kidneys filter waste products from the blood. They also produce a number of hormones essential for normal bodily function. Damage to the kidneys results in a wound-healing response, which can result in scar tissue. Scarring results in loss of...
Chronic kidney disease can be a long and depressing haul, which is why James V. Donadio's 1999 paper on the benefits of fish oil raised the hopes of the kidney community. Donadio's research showed that long-term supplementation with fish oil...
Ever since James Donadio, MD, published his 1999 paper about the benefits of fish oil for patients with IgA nephropathy, patients with all types of chronic kidney disease have sought more information. Donadio's paper suggested that fish oil...
Normally your immune system protects you from disease. But if you have an autoimmune disorder, your body's immune system attacks your healthy organs and tissues thinking that they are invaders. Gluten intolerance is an autoimmune disorder that...
There is nothing particularly unique and different about the symptoms of kidney disease in teens as these symptoms are very similar to those experienced by adults. Learning about these symptoms with your teen will reap rewards as the teen takes...
Healthy kidneys cleanse the excess fluid, minerals and other bodily waste products collected by the blood by producing urine. They also help balance the volume of electrolytes and regulate the pH range in the body. Furthermore, the kidneys release...
Breastfeeding has been shown to provide babies protection against infections of the ear and respiratory tract. It also greatly reduces the occurrence of diarrhea. There is some suggestion that prolonged lactation increases these benefits and that...
Antibodies are protein molecules made by mature B cells called plasma cells. Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, come in several types, including immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM. Each type of antibody has a different role within...
One of the first questions often asked by newly diagnosed kidney patients pertains to fish oil. While the jury is still out on whether the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil provide long-term benefit for kidney patients, as of 2011, more and more...
Ever since James V. Donadio's 1999 paper in the "Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" showed that certain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil retard the progression of IgA nephropathy, kidney patients have been excited about the...
The diagnosis of celiac disease can sometimes be difficult. Celiac is also known as "the great imitator" because many of its symptoms can resemble those of numerous other health conditions. Some people will experience skin rashes, others may have...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine was first administered in 1990, this bacterium was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States for children...
The names "fish oil" and "cod liver oil" are often used interchangeably. Even well-recognized, authoritative journals have referred to cod liver oil as fish oil. This confusion is unfortunate, because the products marketed as fish oil are very...
Antibodies or immunoglobulins are present in blood and other bodily fluids, where they play a central role in the immune system. These molecules bind to foreign invaders such as bacterial proteins or toxins with incredibly high affinity and...
There are several types of immunodeficiency diseases. Some of them are congenital and in some of the diseases, the immune system develops abnormalities after birth. Most of the immunodeficiency diseases are rare and hereditary, and the symptoms...
Hematuria, proteinuria and hypertension are red flags for kidney disease. When these symptoms are in combination, doctors immediately begin the diagnostic process for determining what type of kidney disease is present. In some instances, such as...
Antibodies, or immunoglobulins (Ig), are molecules made by white blood cells (specifically, B cells) and aid in the destruction of infectious organisms, according to BiologyReference.com. Immunoglobulins attach to foreign invaders, and this allows...
The human immune system is a complex, yet effective system that continually protects your body from harmful microorganisms. Exposure to a foreign substance (antigen) activates the immune system, which produces antibodies to attack and destroy the...
Unfortunately, there are no magic supplements to ward off renal failure. However, supplements do play a role in management of renal failure and in possibly slowing down the progression of renal disease. If you have renal disease, scrupulous...
Gluten intolerance is also referred to as "celiac disease," "celiac sprue" or "gluten-sensitive enteropathy." It is caused by your body’s inability to digest gluten-containing foods. The overall effect of gluten...
Cod liver oil is exactly what is sounds like: oil extracted from the livers of codfish. It does not contain added vitamin A because there is so much vitamin A already in this product. Don't confuse fish oil with cod liver oil because their...
James V. Donadio's publication of a paper on the long-term outcome of IgA nephropathy patients treated with fish oil immediately caught the attention of the kidney community in August, 1999. Given Donadio's association with the prestigious Mayo...
Infrared cooking is a fast, efficient, energy-saving method of preparing food. Microwave ovens use infrared radiation. In infrared cooking, food molecules are agitated at high velocities, which means cooking takes place in a matter of seconds and...
Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, are proteins produced by specialized immune cells called B cells. When an invading pathogen such as a bacterium or virus, enters the body, it activates the immune system, which is the body's defense against...
Having a gluten allergy---or celiac disease, which is an autoimmune digestive disease---causes damage to the villi in the small intestines, and prevents proper absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream whenever gluten, which is found in barley,...
According to George Brooks, M.D., Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California, Streptococcus pneumoniae is normally found in 5 to 40 percent of the population. It has mechanisms ready and...