ANTIGEN & IMMUNOGENICITY
The antigen is a molecule which can provoke an adaptive immune response. The term antigen originally came from antibody generator. Immunogenicity is the ability of a partical antigen or epitope to provoke an immune response in the body. The more "non-self" the antigen is the more potent it is induce an immune response.
Examples of antigens:
Small molecules, for example short peptides, lipids, polysaccarides and nucleic acids, must be conjugated to a carrier to initiate a proper immune response. This is due to their small size and/or their non-immunogenic properties. Together with an immunogenic carrier, for example KLH, the antigen becomes more visable to the immune system. Futhermore, the conjugation prevents the small antigen from defusing from the injection site and quickly being eliminated without inducing the desired immune response.
Mammalian proteins that are conserved evolutionary make the best immune response in hens or other far-related species.
It is possible to produce antibodies that are sensitive to very small changes in the peptide sequence. For example, we make many polyclonal antibodies specific to a single phosphorylation or acetylation on a specific site on a protein.
Antibodies that inhibit cleavage sites or detect cleaved protein are also often generated.
Examples of antigens:
- proteins (recombinant or tissue extracted proteins)
- fragments of a protein (recombinant truncated protein)
- peptides
- phospho-peptides or peptides with modifications
- lipids
- polysaccarides
- nucleic acids
- other small molecules
Small molecules, for example short peptides, lipids, polysaccarides and nucleic acids, must be conjugated to a carrier to initiate a proper immune response. This is due to their small size and/or their non-immunogenic properties. Together with an immunogenic carrier, for example KLH, the antigen becomes more visable to the immune system. Futhermore, the conjugation prevents the small antigen from defusing from the injection site and quickly being eliminated without inducing the desired immune response.
Mammalian proteins that are conserved evolutionary make the best immune response in hens or other far-related species.
It is possible to produce antibodies that are sensitive to very small changes in the peptide sequence. For example, we make many polyclonal antibodies specific to a single phosphorylation or acetylation on a specific site on a protein.
Antibodies that inhibit cleavage sites or detect cleaved protein are also often generated.
We can assist you with the design or generation of your antigen. You are welcome to contact us for your free antibody expert consultation.
