Questions: What is any large molecule capable of triggering an immune response called?
Macrophage
Antigen
Hapten
Antibody
Transcript text: What is any large molecule capable of triggering an immune response called?
Macrophage
Antigen
Hapten
Antibody
Solution
The answer is the second one (B): Antigen.
Explanation for each option:
Macrophage: Incorrect. A macrophage is a type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, and pathogens. It is not a molecule but a cell involved in the immune response.
Antigen: Correct. An antigen is any large molecule, often a protein or polysaccharide, that is capable of triggering an immune response. Antigens are recognized by the immune system as foreign and can stimulate the production of antibodies.
Hapten: Incorrect. A hapten is a small molecule that, when combined with a larger carrier such as a protein, can elicit an immune response. By itself, a hapten is not capable of triggering an immune response.
Antibody: Incorrect. An antibody is a protein produced by the immune system in response to an antigen. Antibodies bind to antigens to help neutralize or eliminate them, but they are not the molecules that trigger the immune response.
In summary, the correct answer is "Antigen," as it is the large molecule capable of triggering an immune response.