title: Organization and expression of the pseudo-light chain genes in human B-cell ontogeny.
abstract: In pre-B cells, the mu chain is expressed at the cell surface in association with a "light chain surrogate" encoded by the V pre-B and the lambda-like genes. This mu-psi-L complex presumably triggers early steps of the B cell differentiation, possibly by controlling the Ig gene rearrangements. In the humans, the lambda-like complex contains 3 genes, located in the 22q11.2-q12.3 band, telomeric to the IGCL locus, with which they share a similar organization, pointing to a common genetic origin. Only one lambda-like gene, 14.1, is functional and specifically expressed with V pre-B in pre-B cells. This expression starts in cells which still have the IGH locus in germline configuration (pro-B stage) and ceases as soon as the IGL loci rearrange. These pre-B specific transcripts provide useful markers of cells of the B lineage in both physiological and pathological situations.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'immunologie INSERM-CNRS de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milili
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bossy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fougereau
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002892:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D015328:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D004247:DNA