An autoantibody is an antibody produced by the immune system that recognizes and binds to the body’s own cells, tissues, or molecules.
Antibodies normally help the immune system recognize and respond to foreign substances, such as components of bacteria and viruses. An autoantibody instead targets a substance that belongs to the body itself.
Autoantibodies can be present in several autoimmune diseases, but the presence of an autoantibody does not automatically mean a person has an autoimmune disease. Some autoantibodies can occur in healthy people, and their significance depends on the specific antibody, its level, the person’s symptoms, and other clinical findings.
QUICK FACT
An autoantibody is evidence of an immune response directed toward a self-target, but it is not by itself proof of autoimmune disease.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Antibody: An antibody is a general type of immune protein that recognizes a specific target; an autoantibody is an antibody whose target is a substance from the person’s own body.
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