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Structural highlights

Function

IGG1_HUMAN Immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, are membrane-bound or secreted glycoproteins produced by B lymphocytes. In the recognition phase of humoral immunity, the membrane-bound immunoglobulins serve as receptors which, upon binding of a specific antigen, trigger the clonal expansion and differentiation of B lymphocytes into immunoglobulins-secreting plasma cells. Secreted immunoglobulins mediate the effector phase of humoral immunity, which results in the elimination of bound antigens (PubMed:22158414, PubMed:20176268). The antigen binding site is formed by the variable domain of one heavy chain, together with that of its associated light chain. Thus, each immunoglobulin has two antigen binding sites with remarkable affinity for a particular antigen. The variable domains are assembled by a process called V-(D)-J rearrangement and can then be subjected to somatic hypermutations which, after exposure to antigen and selection, allow affinity maturation for a particular antigen (PubMed:20176268, PubMed:17576170).^{[1] [2] [3]}

References

1. ↑ Teng G, Papavasiliou FN. Immunoglobulin somatic hypermutation. Annu Rev Genet. 2007;41:107-20. PMID:17576170 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.genet.41.110306.130340
2. ↑ Schroeder HW Jr, Cavacini L. Structure and function of immunoglobulins. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Feb;125(2 Suppl 2):S41-52. doi:, 10.1016/j.jaci.2009.09.046. PMID:20176268 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2009.09.046
3. ↑ McHeyzer-Williams M, Okitsu S, Wang N, McHeyzer-Williams L. Molecular programming of B cell memory. Nat Rev Immunol. 2011 Dec 9;12(1):24-34. doi: 10.1038/nri3128. PMID:22158414 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nri3128