title: Evolution of antibody variable region structure during the immune response.
abstract: The results reviewed above reveal that during the anti-Ars immune response of strain A mice a somatic process that results in the evolution of V region structure occurs. This process involves both the selection of V regions encoded by particular gene segment combinations as well as the selection of structural variants of these V regions produced by somatic mutation as the immune response progresses. As a result, both quantitative and qualitative changes in the V region population initially elicited by immunization take place. The structural and functional character of the immune V region repertoire appears to be largely determined by this process of "somatic evolution" occurring in the primary response.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manser
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wysocki
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Margolies
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gefter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D010132:p-Azobenzenearsonate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D010132:p-Azobenzenearsonate