Hill model (binding) (Q6775843)

The Hill model in binding is an empirical equilibrium model used to describe cooperative interactions between ligands and macromolecular binding sites. It represents fractional occupancy as a sigmoidal function of ligand concentration, controlled by the Hill coefficient, which quantifies positive or negative cooperativity. The model provides a phenomenological framework for allosteric or multi-site binding without requiring a detailed mechanistic interpretation of the molecular steps involved. When the Hill coefficient equals one, the model reduces to simple non-cooperative binding governed by mass-action behavior, though no distinct classical model emerges from this case. The Hill binding model is widely applied in biochemistry, molecular biology, and systems biology to analyze cooperative binding equilibria.