Immunogenicity

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Immunogenicity

Immunogenicity (pronounced: im·​mu·​no·​ge·​ni·​ci·​ty) is a term used in medicine and immunology to describe the ability of a particular substance, such as an antigen or epitope, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or animal.

Etymology

The term "Immunogenicity" is derived from the Latin immunis meaning "exempt" or "free", and the Greek -gen meaning "producer of". It essentially refers to the ability to produce an immune response.

Related Terms

  • Antigen: A substance that induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
  • Epitope: The part of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself.
  • Immune Response: A reaction of the body's immune system to foreign substances.
  • Immunogen: A specific type of antigen that triggers an immune response.
  • Antibody: A blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen.

Immunogenicity in Medicine

In medicine, immunogenicity is a crucial factor in the development of vaccines and therapeutic proteins. The immunogenicity of a vaccine is its ability to induce a humoral (antibody-mediated) and/or cell-mediated immune response. For therapeutic proteins, immunogenicity can be a concern as it may reduce the clinical efficacy and safety of the treatment.

Immunogenicity Testing

Immunogenicity testing is a critical component of the development and post-marketing surveillance of biopharmaceuticals. It involves the detection, identification and characterization of antibodies that are generated in response to a therapeutic protein.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski