1. The κ-like pre-B receptor: Surplus biology or a missing link?
- Author
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Hector Martinez-Valdez and Morgan R. McKeller
- Subjects
Heavy chain ,Membrane Glycoproteins ,Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate ,Immunology ,B-Lymphocyte Subsets ,breakpoint cluster region ,Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell ,Cell Differentiation ,Surrogate Light Chains ,Biology ,Immunoglobulin light chain ,Molecular biology ,Germline ,Cell biology ,Allelic exclusion ,Transcription (biology) ,Pre-B Cell Receptors ,Animals ,Humans ,Immunology and Allergy ,Immunoglobulin Light Chains ,Receptor - Abstract
After the demonstration that surrogate JCkappa polypeptides could covalently bind mu heavy chain and upon the characterization of the Vkappa-like component of the kappa-like pre-B cell receptor, it became evident that germline transcription is not sterile. The present review discusses the concept of the alternative usage of kappa-like pre-B cell receptors and classical pre-B cell receptors utilizing the lambda-like surrogate light chain composed of lambda5 and VpreB. We propose that both kappa-like and lambda-like pre-B cell receptors work in concert in a fail-safe mechanism to promote light chain rearrangement, heavy chain allelic exclusion and B-lymphocyte maturation.
- Published
- 2006
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