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I am thinking this figure

enter image description here

which can also be drawn like this

enter image description here

How does HBeAg change to Anti-HBe?

There are some triggers that stimulate Anti-HBe production after HBeAg level is done. I think they can Anti-HBc. There must be other mechanisms too.

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  • $\begingroup$ Can you please introduce your abbreviations? This would be a good style so people can understand the figures better. $\endgroup$ – Chris♦ Mar 27 '14 at 12:03
  • $\begingroup$ Alan answered the question. Just standard antigens and antibodies for HBV. $\endgroup$ – Léo Léopold Hertz 준영 Mar 27 '14 at 18:59
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I'm not sure that I have understood the question but ...

HbeAg is a secreted variant of HbcAg (the core antigen of HBV). Unlike HbcAg, HbeAg is found in the blood. I believe that it is produced as a result of a splice variant of the corresponding RNA.

The phenomenon described in these Figures is an example of seroconversion. Before seroconversion the antigen is detectable in the blood but there is no antibody directed against it; after seroconversion there is antibody but no antigen.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your clear answer! You understood what I mean. I missed the term seroconversion. I think there are actually two windows periods and two seroconversions in the figure. First, for HBe and then for HBs. I would like to know how these two seroconversion stages and/or windows stages differ. It would be nice to use some analogous words like "isovolumetric contraction" and "isovolumetric relaxation" just to differentiate some property between the two window periods. I do not know which property that can be. $\endgroup$ – Léo Léopold Hertz 준영 Mar 27 '14 at 18:58

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