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Lecture

Antigen Recognition: B and T Cell Antigen Recognition

In course

BIO-310: Immunology

Ce cours décrit le fonctionnement du système immunitaire humain et les bases immunologiques de la vaccination, de la transplantation, de l'immunothérapie, et de l'allergie. Il présente aussi le rôle des cellules souches dans la formation des tissus, notamm ...

Description

This lecture covers the recognition of antigens by B and T cells, focusing on the two major strategies for antigen recognition by B lymphocytes: thymus-independent type 1 (TI-1) and thymus-independent type 2 (TI-2). It explains how B cells generate short-lived IgM responses without memory, and how T cells recognize antigen fragments. The lecture also discusses the role of dendritic cells as the only antigen-presenting cells capable of activating naive T cells.

In MOOC

Introduction to immunology (part 1)

Instructors (2)

David Michael Suter

Bruno Lemaitre

Official source

Quiz

Ontological neighbourhood

Health sciences

Immunology: Immune system

Related concepts (22)

Antigen-presenting cell

An antigen-presenting cell (APC) or accessory cell is a cell that displays antigen bound by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on its surface; this process is known as antigen presentation. T cells may recognize these complexes using their T cell receptors (TCRs). APCs process antigens and present them to T-cells. Almost all cell types can present antigens in some way. They are found in a variety of tissue types.

T cell

T cells are one of the important types of white blood cells of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell receptor (TCR) on their cell surface. T cells are born from hematopoietic stem cells, found in the bone marrow. Developing T cells then migrate to the thymus gland to develop (or mature). T cells derive their name from the thymus. After migration to the thymus, the precursor cells mature into several distinct types of T cells.

Antigen presentation

Antigen presentation is a vital immune process that is essential for T cell immune response triggering. Because T cells recognize only fragmented antigens displayed on cell surfaces, antigen processing must occur before the antigen fragment, now bound to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is transported to the surface of the cell, a process known as presentation, where it can be recognized by a T-cell receptor. If there has been an infection with viruses or bacteria, the cell will present an endogenous or exogenous peptide fragment derived from the antigen by MHC molecules.

Antigen

In immunology, an antigen (Ag) is a molecule, moiety, foreign particulate matter, or an allergen, such as pollen, that can bind to a specific antibody or T-cell receptor. The presence of antigens in the body may trigger an immune response. Antigens can be proteins, peptides (amino acid chains), polysaccharides (chains of simple sugars), lipids, or nucleic acids. Antigens exist on normal cells, cancer cells, parasites, viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Antigens are recognized by antigen receptors, including antibodies and T-cell receptors.

T helper cell

The T helper cells (Th cells), also known as CD4+ cells or CD4-positive cells, are a type of T cell that play an important role in the adaptive immune system. They aid the activity of other immune cells by releasing cytokines. They are considered essential in B cell antibody class switching, breaking cross-tolerance in dendritic cells, in the activation and growth of cytotoxic T cells, and in maximizing bactericidal activity of phagocytes such as macrophages and neutrophils.

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