Clonal selection and learning in the antibody system - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

. 1996 Jun 27;381(6585):751-8.

doi: 10.1038/381751a0.

Affiliations

Review

Clonal selection and learning in the antibody system

K Rajewsky. Nature. 1996.

Abstract

Each antibody-producing B cell makes antibodies of unique specificity, reflecting a series of ordered gene rearrangements which must be successfully performed if the cell is to survive. A second selection process occurs during immune responses in which a new antibody repertoire is generated through somatic hypermutation. Here only mutants binding antigen with high affinity survive to become memory cells. Cells expressing autoreactive receptors are counter-selected at both stages. This stringent positive and negative selection allows the generation and diversification of cells while rigorously controlling their specificity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources