antigeniska

Antigeniska is the Swedish adjective for antigenic, relating to antigens—the molecules that can be recognized by the immune system. In immunology, antigenicity denotes the ability of a substance to be specifically bound by antibodies or T-cell receptors. A substance may be antigenic without being immunogenic; binding alone does not always trigger a full adaptive immune response. Conversely, immunogenic substances provoke an immune response and usually display antigenic determinants.

Molecular determinants: Epitopes are the discrete parts of an antigen recognized by immune receptors. Antigenicity is influenced by factors such as size, molecular complexity, foreignness, and three-dimensional structure. Small molecules like haptens are antigenic only when bound to a larger carrier protein; without a carrier, they are typically not immunogenic.

Contexts and applications: Vaccine design seeks to maximize antigenicity and immunogenicity of components, often with adjuvants to boost responses. Serology and diagnostic tests rely on antigen–antibody binding to detect prior exposure. Pathogens can undergo antigenic variation, changing epitopes to evade immune recognition.