What is the purpose of Opsonization?

Opsonization is an immune process which uses opsonins to tag foreign pathogens for elimination by phagocytes. Without an opsonin, such as an antibody, the negatively-charged cell walls of the pathogen and phagocyte repel each other.

What is Opsonization and why is it important?

Opsonization is the important process in host defense by which particles or complexes are made readily ingestible for uptake by phagocytic cells. Specific serum proteins, known as opsonins, coat particles and cause the particles to bind avidly to phagocytes and trigger ingestion.