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Antibody Diversity: A Case for its Generation after Antigenic Stimulation
Author(s) -
Cunningham A. J.,
Pilarski L. M.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1974.tb01227.x
Subject(s) - repertoire , biology , immune system , somatic cell , antigen , phenotype , immunology , genetics , antibody , gene , antibody repertoire , germline , physics , acoustics
The generation of antibody diversity can be discussed at two levels: genotype and phenotype. The genetic question is, does the germ line genome contain all antibody genes, or are some created (by mutation) during the life of the individual? An equally important question at the level of phenotype is, when is immune competence expressed during development of an individual, and, particularly, does antigen stimulation increase the repertoire of competent cells? In this short article we will concentrate on the last question, after first listing reasons why we prefer somatic mutation to germ line theories at the genetic level. We will draw attention to some of the considerable body of indirect evidence that supports antigen‐generated diversity and briefly discuss experiments that can directly test whether entirely new kinds of immunocompetent cells appear during the course of an immune response.