MHC stands for Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Understanding the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a crucial set of genes involved in the immune system. It plays a vital role in antigen presentation to T cells. Here's a breakdown:
- Genes: The MHC is a complex of linked genetic loci.
- Proteins: These genes encode various proteins, most notably MHC class I and MHC class II glycoproteins. These are the MHC molecules themselves.
- Function: The MHC molecules present peptides (small protein fragments) to T-cell receptors on T cells. This interaction is essential for initiating an immune response.
- Reference: According to the provided summary, the MHC consists of a linked set of genetic loci encoding many of the proteins involved in antigen presentation to T cells, most notably the MHC class I and class II glycoproteins (the MHC molecules) that present peptides to the T-cell receptor.
In simpler terms, the MHC is like a display case on the surface of cells, showing fragments of proteins to the immune system. This allows the immune system to identify and respond to threats like viruses or bacteria.
