Practice Questions for Antigen and Antigen-recognition Molecules

Differentiate antigens and immunogens. Give an example.
What are haptens? How can they be converted into immunogens?
Explain the importance of epitopes in antigen-antibody interactions. How does the concept of polyvalency or multivalency relate to epitopes?
Discuss the various forms of antigens that can be present in a bacterium. Why is this complexity crucial for the immune system?
What is antigenicity and what factors influence it? Provide examples for each.
Describe the two forms in which antibodies can exist. How do these forms relate to B-cell receptors?
What is the alternative term for antibodies used in immunological literature?
Elaborate on the structure of an antibody.
What are the roles of Fab and Fc regions of an antibody?
Define affinity and avidity in the context of antigen-antibody interactions. How do they differ and why is this distinction important?
Explain the primary differences between T-cell receptors (TCRs) and B-cell receptors in terms of the types of molecules they can detect.
Discuss the role of Cluster of Differentiation (CD) molecules in T-cell activation.
What are Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs) and what types of cells are considered “professional” APCs?
Elaborate on the concept of costimulation in T-cell activation.
How can the process of antigen presentation be enhanced? How does it relate to of adjuvants.
Describe the different types of dendritic cells (DCs) and their specific roles in antigen presentation to T cells.
What is MHC restriction and how does it affect the activation of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells?
Compare and contrast the antigen processing pathways for cytosolic and ingested proteins.
Discuss the role of macrophages and B cells as professional APCs.
Explain the ability of certain T cells like NKT cells and γδ T cells to recognise non-protein antigens.