What is Antigen?
By immunological definition, we can say that “an antigen (Ag) is any chemical substance that can stimulate a body’s immune system to produce antibodies”. As they are able to stimulate the body’s immune response thus they are also called immunogens. Basically, they are large protein molecules that are normally found on tumor cells, pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even in our normal body cells. Sometimes particulate matter like dust or pollen grains can act as antigens. Other than large molecules of proteins they can be just amino-acid chains or peptides, polysaccharides, nucleic acids, and lipids. They can be their own body-based origin or external environmental origin. In the case of own body origin, the antibodies identify them as “self” and refrain from attacking them whereas external antigens are identified as “non-self” and thus are attacked. The ability of the body to fight against these antigens is called immunity and this immunity can be either innate immunity (inborn i.e. present from birth) or acquired immunity (that we acquire in our lifetime).
What is an Antigen?
Antigen is a substance that can trigger an immune response in the body. It is typically a foreign substance, such as a microorganism, a toxin, or a particle, that the immune system recognizes as being “non-self” and potentially harmful. When the immune system encounters an antigen, it produces specific proteins called antibodies that can recognize and neutralize the antigen, or stimulate other immune cells to attack and destroy it
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