Technical Articles

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) was initially discovered for its role in organ transplant rejection, but with the development of immunology, we gradually realize that its more fundamental function is to participate in antigen presentation. MHC molecules can be divided into class I, class II, and class III, among which class I and class II glycoproteins form complexes on the cell surface, which can bind to antigenic peptides and present them to T cells, thereby initiating specific immune responses. This mechanism not only helps distinguish between "self" and "non self", but also plays a key role in infections, tumors, and autoimmune diseases.