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Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.

Antigen Processing Pathways

Antigen Processing Pathways

MHC molecules are key players in the immune response, enabling T cells to recognize and respond to specific antigens. They are present on the surface of all nucleated cells in the body and are instrumental in presenting antigens to T cells and activating them. T cells recognize the MHC-antigen complex and initiate an immune response. MHC class I and MHC class II are two main types of MHC molecules, each associated with a distinct antigen processing pathway.
MHC Class I: Presenting Endogenous...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining of Four Endometrial Immune Cell Types in Recurrent Miscarriage

Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining of Four Endometrial Immune Cell Types in Recurrent Miscarriage

Published on: August 4, 2021

MHC class II expression and antigen presentation by human endometrial cells.

P K Wallace¹, G R Yeaman, K Johnson

¹Department of Microbiology, HB7556, Dartmouth Medical School, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. pkw@dartmouth.edu

The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

|June 1, 2001

Summary

Isolated human endometrial epithelial cells can present antigens to T cells, a finding significant for understanding reproductive tract immunity. These cells may also transport antigens to stromal immune cells.

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Published on: October 25, 2024

Area of Science:

Immunology
Reproductive Biology
Cell Biology

Background:

Previous studies showed mixed reproductive tract cells present antigens.
Antigen presentation by isolated female reproductive tract epithelial cells was not previously investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate antigen presentation by isolated human endometrial epithelial cells.
To determine if endometrial epithelial cells express MHC class II and can process/present antigens.

Main Methods:

Freshly isolated endometrial epithelial cells were analyzed for MHC class II expression.
Epithelial cells were cultured with interferon gamma (IFNγ) to assess upregulation.
Highly purified epithelial cells were used to present tetanus toxoid antigen to autologous T cells.
Antigen presentation capacity was assessed by T cell proliferation.

Main Results:

Endometrial epithelial cells constitutively express MHC class II.
Interferon gamma (IFNγ) upregulated MHC class II on cultured epithelial cells.
Isolated endometrial epithelial cells processed and presented tetanus toxoid antigen, inducing T cell proliferation.
Sub-epithelial stromal cells also demonstrated potent antigen-presenting capabilities.

Conclusions:

Isolated endometrial epithelial cells can directly process and present antigens to T cells.
These epithelial cells may play a role in antigen transcytosis and delivery to stromal antigen-presenting cells.
Endometrial epithelial cells are active participants in the immune surveillance of the female reproductive tract.