title: The surrogate light chain in B-cell development.
abstract: The proteins encoded by the VpreB and lambda 5 genes associate with each other to form a light (L) chain-like structure, the surrogate L chain. It can form Ig-like complexes with three partners-the classical heavy (H) chain, the DHJHC mu-protein, or the newly discovered p55 chain; these are expressed on the surface of pre-B cells at different stages of development. Here, Fritz Melchers and colleagues review the structures of the VpreB and lambda 5 genes in mouse and their relatives in humans, describe their pattern of expression, and speculate on their possible evolution and functions.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melchers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karasuyama
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haasner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jameson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolink
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015870:Gene Expression; D015328:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell