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Biomedical Basics

Antigen presentation and MHC complexes

  • Created by Henry Stewart Talks
Published on December 31, 2025   5 min

A selection of talks on Immunology & Inflammation

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The following session we'll cover antigen presentation and MHC complexes within the context of this subject focusing on the role of antigen presenting cells and major histocompatibility complexes in initiating adaptive immune responses. We will distinguish between MHC Class 1 and 2 pathways, their peptide loading mechanisms, and how they activate cytotoxic and helper T cells. We will also discuss the clinical significance of MHC diversity and how insights into antigen presentation guide therapies and vaccine development. At the heart of adaptive immunity is the process where immune cells recognize fragments of pathogens and initiate targeted responses. Central to this are antigen presenting cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells which capture antigens, process them and display peptide fragments on their surface via major histocompatibility complexes. This informs T cells triggering the appropriate immune response and helping distinguish self from non-self. The major histocompatibility complex, or MHC includes two primary classes that present antigens to T cells. MHC Class I molecules are on most nucleated cells and present peptides eight to ten amino acids long from cytosolic proteins to CD8-positive cytotoxic T cells. MHC Class II mostly on antigen presenting cells like dendritic cells and macrophages accommodates longer peptides 13-25 amino acids from

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Antigen presentation and MHC complexes

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