Hapten

Haptens (also partial, incomplete or incomplete antigen, from Greek haptein: , grab something, grasp ') are molecules or ions, such as atrazine, digoxigenin or nickel ions, which are not full-fledged isolated antigens; that is, they are not alone capable of raising an immune response. This is for these substances but possible if they bind to an endogenous carrier protein ( hapten-carrier principle). Only the complex of protein and bound hapten is then the full antigen: A hapten is characterized for the antigen that it is a carrier protein "picks ".

One theory is that the hapten is altered the tertiary structure of the protein so that its immune related epitopes reconfigured, and the body of the protein thus modified by not more than endogenous, but perceived as foreign bodies - an immune response is initiated.

Haptens played an important role in the study of immune responses of the body. The immunologist Karl Landsteiner was able to prove with their help that antibodies can be highly selective.

The danger of haptens is because they can trigger an immune response by binding to specific cell structures, which leads to the destruction of a particular cell population. Normally, the immune system recognizes the body's own structures, but these are changed by the haptens such a way that they look strange - in this way may be an autoimmune disease are set in motion.

Swell

• Werner Müller Esterl: Biochemistry. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Munich / Heidelberg 2004, ISBN 978-3-8274-0534-0.

• Immunology
• Chemicals group
• Karl Landsteiner