Question

What is antigen presentation? What cells accomplish it? What is its importance? How is antigen recognized by antibody? What eventually happens to the bound antigen?

Answer 1

The display of peptide-MHC complexes in a form that can be recognized by T cells is called antigen presentation. Cells that dispaly antigens in this form are called antigen-presenting cells (APCs).

This is accomplished by the APCs and recognized by T cells.

The importance of Antigen presentation is that it is essential for the function ofs of T lymphocytes, which are largely emdiated by cell-cell interactions and by cytokines that act at short distances. The patterns of MHC association of different forms of antigens detremine which subset of T cells is preferentially or selectively activated.

The antigen is recognized by antibody by the means of antigenic determinants or epitopes present on the antigen that are specific to these antibodies.

Eventually the antigen that is bound by the antibody is cleared off the immune system by the means of complement fixation or other mechanisms.