Avidity is the overall strength of binding between an antibody and its antigen. It reflects the combined stability of multiple antigen-antibody interactions.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Avidity measures the cumulative binding strength between an antibody with multiple antigenic sites.
Higher avidity indicates stronger and more stable antibody-antigen interactions.
Avidity is distinct from affinity, which measures the strength of a single binding site interaction.
IgM antibodies generally have higher avidity due to their pentameric structure allowing multiple binding sites.
Avidity maturation occurs during an immune response, enhancing the effectiveness of antibodies.
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Related terms
Affinity: The strength of a single interaction between an antigen and an antibody's binding site.