antigen

IPA/ˈæntɪdʒən/
KK[ˈæntədʒən]IPA/ˈæntɪdʒən/

antigen — 名詞

  • antigensingular
  • antigensplural

1. A substance that your body recognises as foreign and that makes the immune syste

1.名詞B2
釋義

抗原

引發免疫反應的物質

A substance that your body recognises as foreign and that makes the immune system produce proteins called antibodies to attack it — for example, a protein on the surface of a virus or bacterium.

例句

The flu vaccine contains a dead antigen that trains the body to fight infection.

流感疫苗含有一種死抗原，能訓練身體對抗感染。

Pollen acts as an antigen for Rin, causing her eyes to water every spring.

花粉對 Rin 來說是一種抗原，每年春天都讓她流眼淚。

acts as an antigen

同義詞
  • immunogen

    a more technical term for any antigen that reliably provokes an immune response; all immunogens are antigens, but not all antigens are strong immunogens

  • allergen

    a specific type of antigen that causes an allergic reaction, such as pollen or pet dander

  • pathogen

    a disease-causing organism (virus, bacterium, etc.) that carries antigens; the pathogen is the whole organism, while the antigen is the specific substance that triggers the immune response

反義詞
  • antibody

    the protein produced by the immune system in response to an antigen; antibodies bind to antigens to neutralise them

文法句型

antigen + noun (antigen test / antigen reaction)

adjective + antigen (foreign / viral / surface antigen)

用法筆記

Commonly modified by a noun or adjective that identifies the source: flu antigen, pollen antigen, tumour antigen. Distinguish from antibody — an antigen triggers the response; an antibody is the protein produced to fight the antigen.

常見錯誤

❌The antigen attacked his lungs.
✅The antigen triggered an immune response in his lungs.
💡Antigens do not attack; they cause the immune system to react.
❌The doctor injected an antigen to cure the disease.
✅The doctor gave a vaccine containing a weakened antigen to build immunity.
💡An antigen alone is not a treatment; it is the substance that stimulates the production of antibodies.