SURFACE ANTIGEN Meaning and
Definition
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Surface antigen refers to a specific type of protein or protein fragment that is present on the surface of a cell or a virus. It plays a crucial role in identifying and distinguishing cells or viruses by interacting with the immune system. Surface antigens are recognized by antibodies or specific immune cells, such as T-cells, which trigger an immune response to neutralize or eliminate foreign substances.
In the context of viruses, surface antigens are often used to classify and diagnose different viral strains. For example, in the case of the influenza virus, there are two important surface antigens known as hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). These antigens are used to categorize influenza viruses into different subtypes, such as H1N1 or H3N2, based on their specific protein variations. Surface antigens of viruses are also targeted by vaccines, as they stimulate the production of specific antibodies that can recognize and neutralize the virus.
In the field of immunology, surface antigens are crucial for identifying different types of cells. They help to differentiate various cell populations, such as T-cells, B-cells, or different subsets of immune cells. This knowledge is important for understanding the complexity of immune responses and the development of therapeutic strategies. Additionally, surface antigens are commonly used as markers in flow cytometry techniques to separate and analyze different cell populations based on their specific antigen expression patterns.
Overall, surface antigens are essential markers that facilitate the recognition and characterization of cells or viruses by the immune system, aiding in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in various fields of biology and medicine.
Common Misspellings for SURFACE ANTIGEN
- aurface antigen
- zurface antigen
- xurface antigen
- durface antigen
- eurface antigen
- wurface antigen
- syrface antigen
- shrface antigen
- sjrface antigen
- sirface antigen
- s8rface antigen
- s7rface antigen
- sueface antigen
- sudface antigen
- sufface antigen
- sutface antigen
- su5face antigen
- su4face antigen
- surdace antigen
- surcace antigen
Etymology of SURFACE ANTIGEN
The word "surface" originated from the Latin word "superficies", which means "the outward appearance or exterior part of something". It ultimately comes from the combination of two Latin words: "super", meaning "above" or "on top", and "facies", meaning "face" or "surface".
The word "antigen" was coined in 1908 by the German immunologist Paul Ehrlich. It is derived from the Greek words "anti", meaning "against", and "gen", meaning "producer" or "generator". Ehrlich used this term to describe substances that induce the production of antibodies by the immune system.
Therefore, the term "surface antigen" combines these etymologies to refer to an antigen that is located or present on the surface of a cell or virus, which can stimulate an immune response or be targeted by antibodies.
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