noun
- A region on the surface of an antigen that is recognized and bound by an antibody or T cell receptor.
Usage: immunology; also called antigenic determinant
Examples
- The immune system identifies pathogens by recognizing specific epitopes on their surface.
- Vaccine designers work to expose epitopes that trigger a strong immune response.
- Different epitopes on the same antigen can be recognized by different antibodies.
- T cell epitopes are typically shorter peptide sequences than B cell epitopes.
- Mutations in viral epitopes can help the virus evade the immune system.
- Researchers mapped the epitopes of the coronavirus spike protein to develop vaccines.