variable region
noun
: the part of the polypeptide chain of a light or heavy chain of an antibody that ends in a free amino group −NH2, that varies greatly in its sequence of amino acid residues from one antibody to another, and that probably determines the conformation of the combining site which confers the specificity of the antibody for a particular antigen
called also variable domain
compare constant regionDictionary Entries Near variable region
Cite this Entry
“Variable region.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/variable%20region. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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