Antigen processing & presentation

Question 1

Define immunogenicity

Answer 1

the ability to induce a humoral and/or cell-mediated immune response

Question 2

Define antigenicity

Answer 2

the ability to combine specifically with the final products of the immune responses

Question 3

B cell + antigen=

Answer 3

plasma cell + memory cell

Question 4

T cell + antigen=

Answer 4

effector T cell + memory cell

Question 5

Define hapten

Answer 5

small molecules that are antigenic but incapable by themselves of inducing an immune response (lack immunogenicity)

Question 6

How can haptens elicit an immune response?

Answer 6

by coupling with a large immunogenic protein (called a CARRIER) to form a hapten-carrier conjugate

Question 7

How does poison ivy elicit an immune response?

Answer 7

the toxin int he plant, urishiol, gets absorbed into the skin and oxidises into the hapten quinone, which forms a hapten-carrier with skin proteins

Question 8

What four factors determine immunogenicity of an antigen?

Answer 8

foreigness, molecular size, chemical composition & heterogeneity, and processing & presentation of the antigen

Question 9

What factors of the host determine immunogenicity?

Answer 9

genetic makeup, presentation, route of entry of pathogen (intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intraperitoneal), the use of adjuvants

Question 10

Define adjuvant

Answer 10

substances that, when mixed with an antigen and injected with it, enhance the immunogenicity of that antigen. They are used to boost the immune response