In designing your vaccine, you will need to choose an antigen or antigens to stimulate the adaptive response. All antigens are not created equal--there are certain characteristics that make more effective antigens.
1. Which of the following best describes why molecules such as glycoproteins are more effective antigens compared to molecules such as starch?
(A) In general, proteins stimulate stronger immune responses than carbohydrates such as starch.
(B) Glycoproteins have greater molecular mass compared to starch; therefore, they will elicit a stronger immune response.
(C) Since starch is a polymer of glucose (which is used by eukaryotic cells for energy), it is not recognized as foreign.
(D) Glycoproteins contain a variety of shapes and subunits that contribute to the overall complexity of the molecule.