title: The pre-B-cell receptor.
abstract: The pre-B-cell receptor (pre-BCR) is composed of two immunoglobulin mu heavy chains and two surrogate light chains, which associate with the signaling molecules Igalpha and Igbeta (Igalpha/beta). The production of a functional pre-BCR is the first checkpoint in the current model of B-cell development. The pre-BCR mediates signals resulting in heavy chain allelic exclusion, down-regulation of the recombination machinery, developmental progression, V(H) repertoire selection, proliferation and down-regulation of the surrogate light chain genes. Recent studies suggest that some of these processes could take place at an earlier stage in B-cell development than previously thought, and might not result from signals mediated by the pre-BCR.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signaling and Development, The Babraham Institute, The Babraham Campus, Cambridge CB2 4AT, United Kingdom. lill.martensson@bbsrc.ac.uk <lill.martensson@bbsrc.ac.uk>
authors.forename: Inga-Lill
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Mårtensson
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Licence
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000235:genetics; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell