Porteantigène

Porteantigène refers to a molecule that carries an antigen. In immunology, an antigen is a substance that elicits an immune response, typically by binding to specific antibodies or T cell receptors. A porteantigène, also known as a carrier molecule or hapten carrier, is often a larger protein that is covalently linked to a smaller antigenic molecule called a hapten. Haptens alone are usually too small to provoke a significant immune response. However, when conjugated to a porteantigène, the hapten-carrier complex becomes immunogenic. The porteantigène itself may or may not be inherently immunogenic. The immune system recognizes the hapten as foreign and mounts a response against it, and this response can sometimes extend to the hapten-carrier conjugate. This principle is widely used in vaccine development and diagnostic tests. For example, in allergy testing, haptens from allergens are attached to carrier proteins to create a detectable antigen. In research, synthetic haptens are often coupled to carrier proteins to generate antibodies specific to the hapten, which can then be used for various assays. The choice of porteantigène is important, as it can influence the magnitude and type of immune response generated.