Immunogen (Noun)
Meaning
Any substance or organism that provokes an immune response (produces immunity) when introduced into the body.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The vaccine uses a weakened strain of the virus as an immunogen to stimulate an immune response.
- Researchers carefully chose the surface proteins to serve as the immunogen in the experimental HIV vaccine.
- A fragment of the toxin was engineered as the immunogen to elicit specific antibodies against the disease.
- Tumor cells are being studied as potential immunogens for new cancer treatments to boost the body's natural defenses.
- Smallpox was used as an immunogen in one of the earliest vaccines ever developed.