Antigen binding

"Antigen binding" describes the process or property by which proteins, primarily antibodies, attach to specific antigens via a highly variable region (the antigen-binding site or paratope) at the tips of their Y-shaped structure. This is an essential feature of immune recognition, enabling antibodies to identify and neutralize foreign molecules such as viruses and bacteria. The antigen-binding site is formed by the variable domains of the heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains, especially the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). "Antigen binding" is not itself a molecular target but refers to a binding property common to immunoglobulins and some related synthetic or engineered proteins[1][3][4][5][6].