epitope

[ ep-i-tohp ]

noun

, Immunology.

1. determinant ( def 3 ).

epitope

/ ˈɛpɪˌtəʊp /

noun

1. the site on an antigen at which a specific antibody becomes attached

Word History and Origins

Origin of epitope¹

epi- + -tope, from Greek tópos “place”; topo-

Example Sentences

When a T cell recognizes a certain part of a pathogen's peptide sequence, scientists call that area an "epitope."

From Science Daily

While Fas plays an essential role in regulating immune cells, Tushir-Singh and his colleagues knew they might be able to target cancer cells selectively if they found the right epitope.

From Science Daily

The word "epitope" means the substance that the immune system recognizes and protects against.

From Salon

Others, such as epitope tagging, use antibodies to track marked proteins, revealing their location and abundance in cells and providing hints about their function.

From Science Magazine

B cells respond most strongly when each arm attaches to a different epitope.

From Science Magazine