title: Evolutionary and somatic selection of the antibody repertoire in the mouse.
abstract: The repertoire of antibody variable (V) regions has been subject to evolutionary selection, affecting both the diversity of V region genes in the germline and their expression in the B lymphocyte population and its subsets. In ontogeny, contact with an antigen leads to the expansion of B cells expressing antibodies complementary to it. In a defined phase of B cell differentiation, new sets of V regions are generated from the existing repertoire through somatic hypermutation. Cells carrying advantageous antibody mutants are selected into the memory compartment and produce a stable secondary response upon reexposure to the antigen.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Köln, FRG.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Förster
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cumano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000235:genetics*; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D005812:Genes, Switch; D007109:Immunity; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region