Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vaccines01:21

Vaccines

Vaccines are among the most effective tools in preventive medicine, designed to prepare the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. By introducing antigens—substances that the immune system identifies as foreign—vaccines stimulate an adaptive immune response that leads to immunological memory. This immunological memory enables the body to mount a faster and more effective response upon future exposures to the actual pathogen.Vaccines can be categorized based on the type of...
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

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.
Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
Antibody Structure01:10

Antibody Structure

Overview
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Vaccine Production01:23

Vaccine Production

Vaccine production involves a sequence of upstream and downstream processes to generate a safe and effective immunological product. It begins with cultivating microorganisms, such as viruses or bacteria, to obtain antigenic material. For viral vaccines, mammalian host cells are grown in bioreactors and subsequently infected with the target virus. The virus replicates within the host cells, which are lysed to release viral particles. This lysate is then clarified through filtration or...
Antibody Structure and Classes01:25

Antibody Structure and Classes

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are produced by B cells in response to foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. These proteins are critical for recognizing and neutralizing these substances, protecting the body from potential harm.
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Establishment of a Neonatal Natural Transmission Model for CMV Vaccine Development.

The Journal of infectious diseases·2026
Same author

Insights into Persistent SARS-CoV-2 Reservoirs in Chronic Long COVID.

Viruses·2025
Same author

A Multi-Antigen Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Vaccine Induces Potent and Durable Cross-Protection Against Infection and Disease Caused by Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Variants.

Research square·2025
Same author

Dynamics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Illness and Serology During Pregnancy and Infancy in the United States and South Africa.

Open forum infectious diseases·2025
Same author

Author Correction: BNT162b2 vaccine induces neutralizing antibodies and poly-specific T cells in humans.

Nature·2025
Same author

A pan-beta-coronavirus vaccine bearing conserved and asymptomatic B- and T-cell epitopes protects against highly pathogenic Delta and highly transmissible Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches
13:36

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches

Published on: May 6, 2015

Structure-based antigen design: a strategy for next generation vaccines.

Philip R Dormitzer1, Jeffrey B Ulmer, Rino Rappuoli

  • 1Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Inc., 350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. philip.dormitzer@novartis.com

Trends in Biotechnology
|November 4, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Rational vaccine design uses structural biology to create optimized antigens. This approach improves vaccine stability, production, and efficacy, expanding the scope of preventable diseases.

More Related Videos

Homogeneous Glycoconjugate Produced by Combined Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation and Click-Chemistry for Vaccine Purposes
13:53

Homogeneous Glycoconjugate Produced by Combined Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation and Click-Chemistry for Vaccine Purposes

Published on: December 19, 2020

Production of E. coli-expressed Self-Assembling Protein Nanoparticles for Vaccines Requiring Trimeric Epitope Presentation
10:58

Production of E. coli-expressed Self-Assembling Protein Nanoparticles for Vaccines Requiring Trimeric Epitope Presentation

Published on: August 21, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches
13:36

Utilizing the Antigen Capsid-Incorporation Strategy for the Development of Adenovirus Serotype 5-Vectored Vaccine Approaches

Published on: May 6, 2015

Homogeneous Glycoconjugate Produced by Combined Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation and Click-Chemistry for Vaccine Purposes
13:53

Homogeneous Glycoconjugate Produced by Combined Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation and Click-Chemistry for Vaccine Purposes

Published on: December 19, 2020

Production of E. coli-expressed Self-Assembling Protein Nanoparticles for Vaccines Requiring Trimeric Epitope Presentation
10:58

Production of E. coli-expressed Self-Assembling Protein Nanoparticles for Vaccines Requiring Trimeric Epitope Presentation

Published on: August 21, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Immunology
  • Vaccine development

Background:

  • Current vaccine antigens are native pathogen macromolecules, often evolved to evade immune responses.
  • Empirical vaccine design is transitioning towards rational approaches based on protective immunity targets.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To leverage high-resolution structural information for engineering optimized vaccine antigens.
  • To identify substructures for modification to enhance antigen stability and immunogenicity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of high-resolution structures to reveal electrostatic surfaces recognized by neutralizing antibodies.
  • Identification of key molecular architectures underlying these surfaces.
  • Engineering of antigens based on structural insights for improved biochemical and immunologic properties.

Main Results:

  • Structural insights enable the identification of critical regions for antibody recognition.
  • Engineered antigens demonstrate enhanced stability, homogeneity, and production efficiency.
  • Understanding structural basis of immunogenicity and immunodominance is key.

Conclusions:

  • Structural information is crucial for rational vaccine design, moving beyond empirical methods.
  • Optimized antigens can lead to more practical, affordable, and effective immunization strategies.
  • This approach holds potential for improving vaccine efficacy and addressing a broader range of diseases.