title: Genetic determination of antibody specificity. Gene translocation and fusion, the molecular basis for the differentiation of the antibody-producing cell.
abstract: The best system for the study of cell differentiation is a cell which in its differentiated state differs only by one product. This is the case in the immune system. The undifferentiated, but omnipotent stem cell differentiates into a committed B cell which produces only one type of specific antibody out of a million different, genetically fixed possibilities. Gene translocation and fusion is the basis of this differentiation process.
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D000939:Epitopes; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009194:Myeloma Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D009194:Myeloma Proteins