affinity (redirected from affinities)

affinity /af·fin·i·ty/ (ah-fin´ĭ-te)

1. attraction; a tendency to seek out or unite with another object or substance.

2. in chemistry, the tendency of two substances to form strong or weak chemical bonds forming molecules or complexes.

3. in immunology, the thermodynamic bond strength of an antigen-antibody complex. Cf. avidity.

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af·fin·i·ty (-fn-t)

n.

1. An attraction or force between particles that causes them to combine.

2. The attraction between an antigen and an antibody.

3. A relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin.

4. The selective staining of a tissue by a dye.

5. The selective uptake of a dye, chemical, or other substance by a tissue.

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affinity

[əfin′itē]

Etymology: L, affinis, related

the measure of the binding strength of the antigen-antibody reaction.

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affinity

1. attraction; a tendency to seek out or unite with another object or substance.

2. in chemistry, the tendency of two substances to form strong or weak chemical bonds forming molecules or complexes.

3. in immunology, the thermodynamic bond strength of an antigen-antibody complex.

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antibody affinity

the strength of the binding interaction between antigen and antibody.

drug affinity

the attraction of a particular class of receptor to a drug, at a level sufficient to give an observable reaction. Such a drug is an agonist.

affinity maturation

the increased affinity of antibody for an antigen which occurs during the course of an immune response.