Thread: Immunology

haptens

Haptens are substances which are incapable of inducing antibody formation by themselves but can react specifically with with antibodies.

Haptens are low-molecular weight molecules which contain an antigenic determinant but which are not itself antigenic unless complexed with an immunogenic carrier.

Haptens become immunogenic on combining with a larger molecule carrier.

A well known example of a hapten is urushiol, which is the toxin found in poison ivy.
Some haptens can induce autoimmune disease. An example is hydralazine, a blood pressure lowering drug which occasionally can produce drug-induced lupus erythematosus in certain individuals.
This also appears to be the mechanism by which the anaesthetic gas halothane can cause a life-threatening hepatitis, as well as the mechanism by which penicillin-class drugs causes autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Haptens can be simple or complex!!
1. complex haptens...can precipitate with specific antibodies
2. simple haptens...non precipitating

nice oodesh... any thing abot epitopes

A hapten is a small molecule that can elicit an immune response only when attached to a large carrier such as a protein; the carrier may be one that also does not elicit an immune response by itself.

Nice information, immunology is study about the total immune system.