multiclonal

Multiclonal refers to the presence of multiple clones, or genetically distinct populations, within a single organism or tissue. This term is commonly used in the fields of immunology, oncology, and microbiology to describe the coexistence of different cell lineages that share a common ancestor. Multiclonality is often observed in immune systems, where it allows for a diverse range of antibodies to be produced, each specific to a different antigen. In oncology, multiclonality can indicate the presence of multiple cancer cell populations within a tumor, which may have different genetic mutations and behaviors. In microbiology, multiclonality can describe the coexistence of different bacterial strains within a single infection. The study of multiclonality is important for understanding the complexity of biological systems and for developing targeted therapies in medicine.