Title | Antibody repertoire development in camelids. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2006 |
Authors | De Genst, E., D. Saerens, S. Muyldermans, and K. Conrath |
Journal | Dev Comp Immunol |
Volume | 30 |
Issue | 1-2 |
Pagination | 187-98 |
Date Published | 2006 |
ISSN | 0145-305X |
Keywords | Animals, B-Lymphocytes, Camelids, New World, Camels, Gene Rearrangement, Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains, Immunoglobulin Light Chains |
Abstract | The humoral immune response of the Camelidae is unique as these animals are the only known mammals that seem to possess functional homodimeric heavy-chain antibodies besides the classical heteromeric antibodies composed of heavy (H) and light (L) chains. By definition, the heavy-chain antibodies lack the L-chain, and it was noticed that their H-chain is devoid of the typical first constant domain (CH1) and contains a dedicated variable domain, referred to as VHH. The VHH exon is assembled from separate V-D-J gene segments. The recombined VHH region is subjected to somatic hypermutations; however, the timing and actual mechanism of the class switch from mu to the dedicated gamma-isotype remains elusive. Interestingly, antigen-specific VHHs are easily retrieved after panning of a phage-displayed rearranged V-gene pool cloned from an immunised camelid. These single-domain antigen binding entities possess a number of biophysical properties that offer particular advantages in various medical and biotechnological applications. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.dci.2005.06.010 |
Alternate Journal | Dev. Comp. Immunol. |
PubMed ID | 16051357 |
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