L3-4 - Antigens, Presentation and Receptors Flashcards
What is an antigen?
Any molecule that can bind specifically to an antibody or T cell receptor
Define antigenicity
The ability of a chemical structure to bind specifically to T or B cell receptors
What is an immunogen?
Molecule that elicits an adaptive immune reaction
Define immunogenicity
Ability of a molecule to induce a humoral or cell-mediated immune response
What is the difference between antigenicity and immunogenicity?
Antigenicity involves ability to bind, immunogenicity involves ability to elicit an immune response
What happens during the innate immune response when there is a local infection?
Pathogen enters the body, phagocytes are recruited to kill invaders
What happens during the innate immune response when an infection penetrates tissues?
Dendritic cells phagocytise the pathogens, then activate the adaptive immune system
How do antibodies facilitate the removal of extracellular pathogens and toxins?
They bind the pathogen/toxin, bind to macrophage, taken in by macrophage and destroyed
What is the main role of the B cell?
Processing and presenting antigens
What are the variable domains of an antibody?
Regions in the Fab domain that are highly variable and specific for target antigens
What is the name of the antigen binding site of an antibody, and what does this consist of?
Complementarity-determining region (CDR) - 3 variable regions of heavy and light chains (6 total) that are paired in an antibody
How is antibody diversity generated?
Heavy and light chain genes are rearranged
What are the 5 major antibody isotypes?
IgM, IgG, IgE, IgA and IgD
What antibody provides initial response?
IgM
What is the major antibody in serum?
IgG
What antibody provides the majority of the defence against pathogens?
IgG
Which antibody prevents microbial colonisation of mucosal surfaces?
IgA
Which antibody aids in the defence against parasites? How does it do this?
IgE - triggers mast cells to destroy parasite