An antibody or protein that coats bacteria to make them easier for immune cells to recognize and destroy.
From bacterio- (bacteria) + opsonin (Greek opson, 'sauce'). Specifically refers to opsonins that target bacteria.
Bacteriopsonins are like molecular tags that your immune system paints onto invading bacteria—without these tags, harmful bacteria could hide from your white blood cells, which is why some bacteria have evolved slippery coats to avoid them.
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