paratope

Examples of paratope in the following topics:

• Making Memory B Cells

  • Each time these cells are induced to proliferate due to an infection, the genetic region coding for the paratope undergoes spontaneous mutations with a frequency of about 1 in every 1600 cell divisions.
  • Some of the resulting paratopes (and the cells elaborating them) have a better affinity for the antigen (actually, the epitope) and are more likely to proliferate than the others.
  • The fact that all the cells of a single clone elaborate one (and only one) paratope, and that the memory cells survive for long periods, is what imparts a memory to the immune response.
  • The paratope is the part of an antibody which recognizes an antigen, the antigen-binding site of an antibody.
  • The part of the antigen to which the paratope binds is called an epitope.

• Antigenic Determinants and Processing Pathways

  • In antibodies, the binding site for an epitope is called a paratope.
  • The epitopes of protein antigens are divided into two categories based on their structures and interaction with the paratope.
  • These epitopes interact with the paratope based on the 3-D surface features and tertiary structure (overall shape) of the antigen.
  • Linear epitopes interact with the paratope based on their primary structure (shape of the protein's components).

• Antibody Proteins and Antigen Binding

  • Each tip of the "Y" of an antibody contains a paratope (a structure analogous to a lock) that is specific for one particular epitope (similarly analogous to a key) on an antigen, allowing these two structures to bind together with precision.
  • The large and diverse population of antibodies is generated by random combinations of a set of gene segments that encode different or paratopes, followed by random mutations in this area of the antibody gene, which create further diversity.
  • The paratope is shaped at the amino terminal end of the antibody monomer by the variable domains from the heavy and light chains.

• Structure and Function of Antibodies

  • Each tip of the "Y" of an antibody contains a paratope (a structure analogous to a lock) that is specific for one particular epitope (similarly analogous to a key) on an antigen, allowing these two structures to bind together with precision.
  • The paratope is considered a hypervariable region and has the same specificity and antigen-binding affinity as the B cell receptor of the B cell that created the antibody.
  • Additionally, because antibodies have two or more paratopes, they can sometimes link pathogens together, making phagocytosis more efficient.