1. What is meant by allelic exclusion with regard to antibody heavy or light chain genes? Explain how this this is accomplished. What happens to B cells which fail to produce functional antibody heavy chain genes from either of their original two copies of the gene?
The allelic exclusion control ensures that each B cell expresses only one type of binding site because an antibody binding site is determined by the combination of a particular heavy and light chain. If expression of the Ig alleles was not regulated each B cell would express several combinations of the two different heavy and light chains and thus express a variety of antigen specificities. Such unregulated B cells would not be able to mediate a specific immune response.
Get Answers For Free
Most questions answered within 1 hours.