hemagglutinin
/ˌhiːməˈɡluːtɪnɪn/
noun
- A protein on the surface of a virus (such as the flu virus) that causes red blood cells to clump together and helps the virus enter host cells.
- Scientists study hemagglutinin to understand how the influenza virus spreads.
- The flu vaccine targets the hemagglutinin protein to help the body fight infection.
- Mutations in hemagglutinin can make a flu strain more dangerous or harder to vaccinate against.