Biophysics and Molecular Biology: Tools and Techniques by Pearson

10

Immunotechniques

10.1 Immunoprecipitation reaction

Antigen-antibody interaction is highly specific and occurs in a similar way as a bimolecular association of an enzyme and a substrate. The binding between antigen (Ag) and antibody (Ab) involves weak and reversible non-covalent interactions consists mainly of van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, H-bonding and hydrophobic forces. The smallest unit of antigen that is capable of binding with antibodies is called an antigenic determinant (or epitope). The corresponding area on the antibody molecule combining with the epitope is called paratope. The number of epitopes on the surface of an antigen is its valence. The valence determines the number of antibody molecules that can combine with ...