ALLERGEN

Allergen

An allergen is a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response in which the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions are called allergies. In technical terms, an allergen is an antigen capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals through Immunoglobulin E responses. Most humans mount significant Immunoglobulin E responses only as a defense against parasitic infections. However, some individuals may respond to many common environmental antigens. This hereditary predisposition is called atopy. In atopic individuals, non-parasitic antigens ...

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allergen

Noun

  1. A substance which causes an allergic reaction.
    Pollen, dust, and spores are common allergens.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: allergen
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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