Any substance that triggers the immune system to produce antibodies is considered an antigen. Let’s find out what are self-antigens and non-self antigens.

Any substance that triggers the immune system to produce antibodies is considered an antigen. Proteins, peptides, and polysaccharides make up antigens. Chemicals, toxins, pollens, and any foreign invaders (bacteria and viruses) can be antigens. Normal cellular proteins can, however, occasionally change in pathological circumstances to self-antigens. Antigens can be classified as either self- antigens or non-self depending on their origin.

Antigen-antibody binding characteristics are used in immunology research to identify, monitor, and guarantee particle separation of particular cell populations within blood samples.

Self-Antigens

Immune system recognition of body cells is facilitated by cell-surface receptors, which function as identification tags for these cells. Self-antigens are derived from immune system-protected body cells. The innate immune system's macrophages and dendritic cells routinely scavenge and eat pathogens and old cellular debris.

Antigen-presenting cells are another name for these cells. These cells actively search for tiny particles inside the foods they consume and present those particles to immune system cells that can recognize them.

Small proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, or fats are a few self-antigen markers. Self-antigen markers have the effect of preventing the immune system from attacking the body's own cells.

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Non-Self Antigens

The cell surface of pathogens also has receptors. The adaptive immune system uses these receptors as identification tags to identify pathogens as foreign substances. A pathogen's antigen is presented to T lymphocytes (T cells) of the adaptive immune system by an antigen-presenting cell. T cells, however, can only detect proteins as antigens.

Non-protein antigens can stimulate an immune response in a variety of ways. T cells can develop into mature helper T cells, regulatory T cells, or cytotoxic T cells when they are activated by an antigen. With intracellular infections, cytotoxic T cells are involved (pathogens that infect the inside of cells, like viruses).

To avoid autoimmunity, regulatory T cells make sure that other cells are still tolerant of self-cells. B cells are activated by mature helper T cells. Plasma B cells, which are antibody factories, can develop from activated B cells.

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