Final answer:
The four types of interactions are neutralization, agglutination, complement activation, and opsonization, which are part of the body's defense against pathogens, with neutralization blocking pathogen infection, agglutination clumping pathogens together, complement activation destroying pathogens, and opsonization marking them for immune cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The four types of interactions involved in antibody/antigen interactions are neutralization, agglutination, complement activation, and opsonization. Additionally, there is also an interaction known as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. These interactions are crucial for the body's defense against pathogens, with the first three types being B-cell/antibody-mediated and the fourth type, type IV hypersensitivities, being a T-cell phenomenon.
Neutralization involves antibodies binding to pathogens to prevent them from infecting cells. Agglutination refers to the clumping together of pathogens facilitated by antibodies, making them easier targets for immune cells. Complement activation is a cascade of events that results in the destruction of the pathogen, and opsonization enhances phagocytosis of antigens by marking them for immune cells. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity involves natural killer cells and other immune cells that recognize antibody-coated cells and lead to their destruction.