title: Clonal selection and learning in the antibody system.
abstract: Each antibody-producing B cell makes antibodies of unique specificity, reflecting a series of ordered gene rearrangements which must be successfully performed if the cell is to survive. A second selection process occurs during immune responses in which a new antibody repertoire is generated through somatic hypermutation. Here only mutants binding antigen with high affinity survive to become memory cells. Cells expressing autoreactive receptors are counter-selected at both stages. This stringent positive and negative selection allows the generation and diversification of cells while rigorously controlling their specificity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Weyertal, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D002999:Clone Cells; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D009154:Mutation; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell