Somatic diversification of the B cell repertoire requires two cell subsets. (22nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cohn, M.
• Is Part Of: Scandinavian journal of immunology. Volume 87:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-01-22
• Subjects: B cell subsets -- BCR -- evolution -- paratopic repertoire; Immunology -- Periodicals; 571.96
• DOI: 10.1111/sji.12640
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-9475

Abstract

Abstract: Evolution found itself in a Catch‐22 situation when selecting for the somatically derived paratopic repertoire of the humoral immune system. The B cell BCR repertoire can only be somatically diversified from a substrate of paratopes that is encoded in the germline. In order for the cells expressing that substrate to also be a target of germline selection, their BCRs must, independently, be of selective value by being expressed in a functionally important way in each individual. A somatically derived repertoire scrambles this substrate so that its specificities are lost, making it unselectable in the germline. Consequently, evolution faced an incompatibility. Here, we explore what it takes to resolve it.