A type of antigen
which is responsible for any immune
reaction, or rejection, of tissue grafts attached to the body which come
from a genetically dissimilar donor.
PSA (prostate specific antigen)
Definition:
A protein which is produced by the prostate
gland. A test to determine its levels in the blood is often used to
determine whether a man might have prostate cancer or not.
The process by which a pathogenic
microbe's genetic structure is altered to change its surface antigens
in order to avoid being detected by the host'simmune system.
antigenic variation
Definition:
A change in the structure of an antigen
on the surface of a disease-causing microorganism or virus
(a pathogen) so
that the host's immune
system no longer recognizes the pathogen and must make new antibodies
to recognize the changed antigens before the host can continue to combat
the disease. As a result, the host cannot stay immune to the disease.
antigenicity
Definition:
The ability of a substance to trigger an immune
response in a particular organism.
differentiation antigen
Definition:
A biomolecule
which can be found by immunoassay
(testing for the presence of the biomolecule) only in a particularly type
of cell in the body.
Thus, the biomolecule can serve as a marker for that cell type.
Proteins on the
outer part of body cells that help fight illness. These proteins vary from
person to person. Scientists think that people with certain types of HLA
antigens are more
likely to develop insulin-dependent
diabetes. The HLA
antigens are also responsible for histocompatibility
reactions.
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