Cognitive phase Flashcards
(11 cards)
What do B-cell receptors (BCRs) and antibodies recognize?
They recognize whole extracellular antigens such as pathogens or soluble toxins.
What do T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognize?
TCRs recognize peptides presented on MHC molecules on the surface of host cells.
What is the main difference in the target of BCRs vs. TCRs?
BCRs scan for foreign material directly, while TCRs scan for infected host cells.
What term refers to a substance that can be recognized by antibodies but may not trigger an immune response?
Antigenicity.
What is the term for a substance’s ability to trigger an immune response and produce antibodies?
Immunogenicity.
What is a hapten?
A small molecule that can bind to antibodies but cannot induce an immune response without a carrier protein.
What is an immunogen in the context of a hapten-carrier model?
The hapten–protein complex that induces an immune response.
Why might a good epitope not result in protective antibody responses?
Because it may have low immunogenicity, meaning it rarely elicits effective antibodies.
What is an epitope?
The specific molecular shape or region on an antigen recognized by an antibody.
What determines the strength (affinity) of an antibody-epitope interaction?
The geometric and chemical complementarity between the antibody and the epitope.
What is multivalency in the context of antibody-antigen interactions?
The ability of an antibody to bind more than one epitope or antigen simultaneously.
