on-rate vs. off-rate

[Esbjorn Fiers]

Dear all,
I am working with scFv phage display libraries. In some articles I come
across the words on- and off-rate, being the rate at which an antibody
binds its antigen and the rate at which an antibody dissociates from its
antigen. Furthermore, they say that when antibody affinities become
higher this is mostly due to a lower off-rate, with the on-rate being
less important. I kind of have problems to completely understand this.
Is there anybody who could explain this to me, or has anyone a reference
in which this is clearly explained?
Thanks!

Esbjorn Fiers

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Esbjorn Fiers
DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS                         Fax:32 (0)9 2645349
UNIVERSITY OF GENT, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie                           VIB
mailto:esfie at gengenp.rug.ac.be        http://www.plantgenetics.rug.ac.be

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