What is an Epitope?
The understanding of disease requires knowledge of specific biological structures present in disease-causing organisms. This knowledge informs the effective development of preventive treatments and vaccines. This article will explain what one of these structures, the epitope, is and how mapping it is important for medical science.
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The epitope
An epitope is the part of an antigen that the host’s immune system recognizes, eliciting the immune response to an invading pathogen. It specifically binds to the corresponding antigen receptor on the immune cell (such as a B cell) and binding only occurs if the structures are complementary.