HAPTENIC INHIBITION Meaning and
Definition
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Haptenic inhibition refers to the phenomenon in immunology where the immunogenicity of a hapten is prevented or inhibited by another haptenic substance. A hapten refers to a small molecule that is incapable of eliciting an immune response by itself but can do so when it binds to a carrier molecule. These carrier molecules can be proteins or larger molecules that are capable of inducing an immune response.
In the context of haptenic inhibition, when two haptens are present simultaneously, one hapten can prevent or inhibit the immune response that would normally be elicited by the second hapten. This inhibition occurs due to competition for binding sites on the carrier molecule. The first hapten binds to the carrier molecule, effectively occupying the binding sites that the second hapten would normally occupy. As a result, the second hapten is unable to bind to the carrier molecule and fails to elicit an immune response.
Haptenic inhibition has important implications in immunology, particularly in vaccine development and understanding immune responses. It can be utilized to selectively inhibit the immune response to certain haptens, which can be beneficial in cases where the immune response is unwanted or harmful. By understanding and manipulating haptenic inhibition, researchers can gain insights into immune mechanisms and potentially design new strategies for immunotherapy and vaccine development.
Common Misspellings for HAPTENIC INHIBITION
- gaptenic inhibition
- baptenic inhibition
- naptenic inhibition
- japtenic inhibition
- uaptenic inhibition
- yaptenic inhibition
- hzptenic inhibition
- hsptenic inhibition
- hwptenic inhibition
- hqptenic inhibition
- haotenic inhibition
- haltenic inhibition
- ha0tenic inhibition
- haprenic inhibition
- hapfenic inhibition
- hapgenic inhibition
- hapyenic inhibition
- hap6enic inhibition
- hap5enic inhibition
- haptwnic inhibition
Etymology of HAPTENIC INHIBITION
The word "haptenic" is derived from the word "hapten", which is a small molecule that can elicit an immune response when it binds to a larger carrier molecule. The term "hapten" was coined in 1925 by the German immunologist Karl Landsteiner, who identified these small molecules as a distinct class of antigens.
The word "inhibition" is derived from the Latin word "inhibitio", which means a restraining or preventing action. It dates back to the 15th century and has been used in various contexts to signify the act of limiting or hindering a process.
Combining these two terms, "haptenic inhibition" refers to the restraining or limiting action on the immune response caused by the binding of a hapten to a carrier molecule. It is a phenomenon observed when a hapten-carrier complex prevents or reduces the immune recognition of the hapten alone.
