What is the term for the ability of antibodies to bind specifically to antigens?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the term for the ability of antibodies to bind specifically to antigens?
Affinity
Specificity
Cross-reactivity
Neutralization
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the term for the ability of antibodies to bind specifically to antigens?
Step 1: Understand what antibodies are. Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system to help fight off infections.
Step 2: Learn what antigens are. Antigens are substances that can trigger an immune response, often found on the surface of pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
Step 3: Know that antibodies are designed to recognize and bind to specific antigens. This is how the immune system identifies and targets harmful invaders.
Step 4: The term that describes the ability of antibodies to bind specifically to antigens is called 'affinity'.
Step 5: Affinity refers to how strong the bond is between an antibody and its specific antigen.
