The pre-B-cell receptor: selector of fitting immunoglobulin heavy chains for the B-cell repertoire.
In this Opinion article, I address the role of the pre-B-cell receptor (pre-BCR) in the development of antigen-specific B cells in terms of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) variable-region repertoire selection, precursor B-cell differentiation and proliferation, and IgH allelic exclusion. Comparisons with the role of the pre-T-cell receptor (pre-TCR) in T-cell development raise provocative questions. Why do B- and T-cell lineages both use a surrogate chain - the surrogate light chain and the pre-TCR alpha-chain, respectively - as a step to develop their repertoires of antigen-recognizing cells? What are the functions of the pre-BCR and pre-TCR in lymphocyte differentiation and antigen-receptor allelic exclusion? This article, together with the accompanying article by Harald von Boehmer, hopes to answer some of these questions.
Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Campus Charité Mitte, Schumannstrasse 21-22, D-10117 Berlin, Germany. melchers@mpiib-berlin.mpg.de
Fritz
F
Melchers
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000502:physiology
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta