1. Small molecules that can bind to proteins or other carriers to form antigens and trigger an immune response, but cannot independently stimulate antibody production.
Usage: plural of hapten; technical term used in immunology and biochemistry; often used in medical and scientific contexts

Examples

• Researchers used haptens conjugated to carrier proteins to develop new vaccines.
• The immune system recognizes haptens only when they are attached to larger molecules.
• Haptens are too small to be immunogenic on their own.
• Scientists study haptens to understand how the body responds to foreign substances.
• Drug molecules can act as haptens when they bind to proteins in the body.