Canadian Medical Guide > Biological Sciences > Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity > Immunity > Antigen-Antibody Reactions > Antibody Affinity Terms and Definitions

Antibody Affinity

Medical Definition:	A measure of the binding strength between antibody and a simple hapten or antigen determinant. It depends on the closeness of stereochemical fit between antibody combining sites and antigen determinants, on the size of the area of contact between them, and on the distribution of charged and hydrophobic groups. It includes the concept of "avidity," which refers to the strength of the antigen-antibody bond after formation of reversible complexes.
Guide Notes:	do not confuse with BINDING SITES, ANTIBODY or ANTIGENIC DETERMINANTS
Also Called:	Antibody Avidity
Previously Indexed:	Antibodies (1966-1978),Antigen-Antibody Reactions (1966-1978),Antigenic Determinants (1970-1978),Binding Sites, Antibody (1973-1978)

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