![](https://web.archive.org/web/20120108080338im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Immunoglobulin_basic_unit.svg/220px-Immunoglobulin_basic_unit.svg.png)
1. Fab region
2. Fc region
3. Heavy chain
4. Light chain with one variable (VL) and one constant (CL) domain
5. Fv region with paratope
6. Hinge regions
2. Fc region
3. Heavy chain
4. Light chain with one variable (VL) and one constant (CL) domain
5. Fv region with paratope
6. Hinge regions
The paratope is the part of an antibody which recognises an antigen, the antigen-binding site of an antibody. It is a small region (of 15–22 amino acids) of the antibody's Fv region and contains parts of the antibody's heavy and light chains.[1]
The part of the antigen to which the paratope binds is called an epitope. This can be mimicked by a mimotope. In the figure given on the right hand side, the engraved inner portions of idiotype (encircled region no.5) is the paratope where the epitope of the antigen binds.
References
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