Question

Describe the following:

Haptens

Routes of Immunization and Effects of Antigen Dose

Adjuvants

Affinity chromatography.

Equilibrium dialysis: measurement of antibody affinity and avidity

Answer 1

Hapten is a small molecule and non-immunogen, when it binds with larger molecule called a carrier molecule to form a complete antigen which stimulates the production of antibodies.

Hapten + carrier = complete antigen.

Routes of immunization is a path by which vaccine or drug has been delivered to the body. There are diferent ways of routes of immunization- Oral administration, Injections, and intranasal application.

Adjuvant is a material or substance which enhance the immune response against to an antigen. Adjuvant help to increase the immunogenicity of a weak antigen

Example: Vaccine

Affinity chromatography is a technique where the separation of mixture of molecules can achieved by their interactions. Example: Enzyme with substrate interaction, antigen and antibody interactions, receptor with ligand interactions. These interactions accompolised when their is specific binding properties bwetween the 2 molecules.

Equilibrium dialysis use the principle of seperation of larger molecules (high molecular weight) in the mixture of lower molecules (low molecular weight) and this process use antibody afifinity and avidity by adding differnt amount of antigen in a dialysis bag. Antigen which bind to antibody will not diffuse out from dialysis membrane and only unbound antigen will be difuse out acros the membrane.