Abstract
The clonal selection theory states that B lymphocytes producing high-affinity immunoglobulins are selected from a pool of cells undergoing antibody gene mutation. Somatic hypermutation is a well-documented mechanism for achieving diversification of immune responses in mature B cells. Antibody genes were also found to be modified in such cells in germinal centers by recombination of the variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments. The ability to alter immunoglobulin expression by V(D)J recombination in the selective environment of the germinal center may be an additional mechanism for inactivation or diversification of immune responses.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Antibody Diversity*
-
B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
-
Cells, Cultured
-
DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / genetics
-
DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / metabolism
-
DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
-
Gene Expression
-
Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte*
-
Genes, Immunoglobulin
-
Genes, RAG-1
-
Germinal Center / cytology
-
Germinal Center / immunology
-
Immunoglobulin Joining Region / genetics*
-
Immunoglobulin M / biosynthesis
-
Immunoglobulin M / genetics
-
Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
-
Lymphocyte Activation
-
Mice
-
Recombination, Genetic*
-
VDJ Recombinases
Substances
-
DNA-Binding Proteins
-
Immunoglobulin Joining Region
-
Immunoglobulin M
-
Immunoglobulin Variable Region
-
Rag2 protein, mouse
-
V(D)J recombination activating protein 2
-
DNA Nucleotidyltransferases
-
VDJ Recombinases