Metal ions preferentially bind certain ligands.

Receptors are proteins that bind small ligands.

These receptors can bind different ligands like acetylcholine, nicotine and cobratoxin.

In contrast, immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry have the advantage of molecular identification, but can not show definitively if the receptors bind ligands.

These receptors are predominately expressed in cells of the immune system and bind ligands such as CD55.

This protein functions as a receptor for membrane bound ligands, and may play a role in vascular, renal and hepatic development.

RAGE is able to bind several ligands and therefore is referred to as a pattern-recognition receptor.

The latter may either cooperate in binding heme or might bind distinct ligands.

Chemical specificity is the ability of a protein's binding site to bind specific ligands.

An equilibrium exists between unbound ligands and bound ligands.