Helminth protein
Encyclopedia
A helminth protein, or helminthic antigen
, is a protein derived from a parasitic worm
that causes an immune reaction. The most commonly seen antigens of this sort are derived from the schistosomes.
Helminth proteins may be used to develop antibodies in animals and humans to protect against parasitic infections.
Antigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
, is a protein derived from a parasitic worm
Worm
The term worm refers to an obsolete taxon used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, and stems from the Old English word wyrm. Currently it is used to describe many different distantly-related animals that typically have a long cylindrical...
that causes an immune reaction. The most commonly seen antigens of this sort are derived from the schistosomes.
Helminth proteins may be used to develop antibodies in animals and humans to protect against parasitic infections.