Antigen presentation
Antigen Presentation
Antigen presentation (/ænˈtɪdʒən ˌprɛzənˈteɪʃən/) is a process in the body's immune system by which macrophages, dendritic cells, and other cell types capture, process, and present antigens to T cells.
Etymology
The term "antigen presentation" is derived from the words "antigen", a substance that induces an immune response, and "presentation", which refers to the process of making something visible or noticeable. The term was first used in the context of immunology in the late 20th century.
Process
Antigen presentation involves three main steps: antigen capture, antigen processing, and antigen presentation. In the first step, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) capture the antigen. This can occur through phagocytosis, pinocytosis, or receptor-mediated endocytosis.
In the second step, the antigen is processed into smaller pieces, or peptides. This occurs in the endosome or lysosome of the APC, where enzymes break down the antigen into peptides.
In the third step, the peptides are loaded onto Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. The MHC-peptide complex is then transported to the cell surface, where it can be recognized by T cells. This recognition triggers an immune response.
Related Terms
- Antigen: A substance that induces an immune response.
- Antigen-presenting cell (APC): A cell that captures, processes, and presents antigens to T cells.
- T cell: A type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the immune response.
- Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC): A set of cell surface proteins essential for the acquired immune system to recognize foreign molecules.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antigen presentation
- Wikipedia's article - Antigen presentation
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