Question

What is the difference between an epitope and an antigen? Does an antibody bind onto the epitope or the antigen?

Answer 1

The epitope is the specific part of the antigen to which the antibody binds.

Explanation:

An epitope (also known as the antigenic determinant) is that part of the antigen to which antibodies bind.

While the antigen evokes the antibody response in the host, the antibody doesn't bind to the entire protein, but only to that segment called the epitope.

There can be more than one epitope for an antigen to which different unique antibodies will bind.