Epitopes, paratopes, and other topes 30 years on: Understanding what we are talking about

The question of which protein antigens, such as HLA class I or class II molecules, will bind, and how well, to a given antibody is often assumed to depend exclusively on the details of protein surface structure. These structures are usually based on static models resulting from X-ray crystallography. While these notions are useful, the ultimate causal factors determining how well a given antigen binds a given antibody are based in thermodynamics and can include atomic mobility and the time-varying conformations of proteins. In this article, fundamental biophysical principles of antibody-antigen interaction are discussed, concepts critical for a deeper understanding of the pertinent molecular phenomena are highlighted, and common misunderstandings are identified and debunked.