Generation of the (auto)-antibody repertoire: a case of narcissism?
The immune system has the tremendous task of recognizing and eliminating a practically unlimited number of foreign and often harmful substances. To reach that goal, it has evolved as an apparatus generating a vast array of different antigen receptors expressed by T and B lymphocytes. Through these receptors, the cells can recognize, and respond to, foreign structures; nevertheless, the lymphocytes do not normally react to the body's own constituents. The processes that safeguard a sufficiently broad diversity and yet prevent potentially pathogenic autoimmune reactivity are only now beginning to be elucidated. We describe some of the mechanisms that are believed to play a major role in the generation of the B lymphocyte and antibody repertoire, the induction of tolerance against autologous components and the production of pathogenic autoantibodies, once tolerance is broken.
Logtenberg
T
T
Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Bloem
A
A
Gmelig Meyling
F
F
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000502:physiology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region