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 region

Dictionary 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 28 Mar. 2023.

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