Definitions and Introduction. Flashcards
What is an antigen?
Small molecules that are foreign to the body and are recognised by aspects of the adaptive immune system.
What are antigen presenting cells?
Specialised cells that present antigens to the adaptive immune system.
What is antigenicity?
The ability of an antigen to bind to immune cells e.g. B cells/Tcells.
What is cross reactivity?
When you have similar epitopes that come from different sources.
What is an epitope?
The part of an antigen that is recognised by an antibody.
What is a hapten?
A small antigenic molecule that is too small to generate an immune response.
What is an immunogen?
Anything that stimulates an immune response.
What is immunogenicity?
How well an antigen can induce an immune response.
What is the FAB region of an antibody?
The region of an antibody that binds to the epitope of an antigen.
What is the major histocompatibility complex?
A complex that marks the bodies cells as self so they are not destroyed by the immune system.
What is a multi valent antigen?
An antigen that has multiple epitopes.
These epitopes can be different or they can be the same epitope multiple times.
What are natural antibodies?
Antibodies that act against antigens even though the body has never encountered these antigens.
What drives the responses of the adaptive immune system?
Antigens and antibodies.
Will there be an adaptive immune response if no antigens are present?
No.
What are 4 major aspects of the adaptive immune system that can respond to antigens?
Antigen presenting cells (APC’s).
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
B lymphocytes.
T lymphocytes.
