Differences between immunogen and antigen

Answer 1

An Antigen is considered as any foreign particle that enters the body such as dust, food and any microorganisms.

An Immunogen is any foreign particle that triggers an response from the body's immune system.

Consequently, all Immunogens are Antigens, but not all Antigens are Immunogens.

To be considered an Immunogen, the particle has to have all the following characteristics:

1- Has enough Atomic Mass to be recognized by T cells and Antigen Presenting cells

2- Be significantly different from all of our cells or metabolites.

3- Must have a defined secondary and tertiary structure (has to be firm to form an epitope)

4- Has to be an antigen

eg: Carbohydrates are not a highly immunogenic antigen, since they are made of glucose which is essential for our body's metabolism. Moreover, our body has the ability to store glucose as glycogen.

An Adjuvant is a compound that increases the immunogenicy of antigens when mixed together.

Answer 2

An immunogen is a substance that triggers an immune response, leading to the production of antibodies or activated immune cells. An antigen, on the other hand, is a molecule that can bind to antibodies or T-cell receptors to induce an immune response. Not all antigens are immunogens, as some antigens may not elicit an immune response, while all immunogens are antigens.