A pentamer is an entity composed of five subunits. In chemistry, it applies to molecules made of five

monomer A monomer ( ; ''mono-'', "one" + '' -mer'', "part") is a molecule that can react together with other monomer molecules to form a larger polymer chain or two- or three-dimensional network in a process called polymerization. Classification Chemis ...

s. In biochemistry, it applies to macromolecules, particularly pentameric proteins, made of five protein sub-units. In microbiology, a pentamer is one of the proteins that compose the polyhedral protein shell that encloses the bacterial micro-compartments known as carboxysomes. In immunology, an MHC pentamer is a reagent used to detect antigen-specific CD8+

T cell T cells (also known as T lymphocytes) are an important part of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell receptor (TCR) on their cell ...

See also