Phenomena and Processes

Antibody Diversity

The phenomenon of immense variability characteristic of ANTIBODIES. It enables the IMMUNE SYSTEM to react specifically against the essentially unlimited kinds of ANTIGENS it encounters. Antibody diversity is accounted for by three main theories: (1) the Germ Line Theory, which holds that each antibody-producing cell has genes coding for all possible antibody specificities, but expresses only the one stimulated by antigen; (2) the Somatic Mutation Theory, which holds that antibody-producing cells contain only a few genes, which produce antibody diversity by mutation; and (3) the Gene Rearrangement Theory, which holds that antibody diversity is generated by the rearrangement of IMMUNOGLOBULIN VARIABLE REGION gene segments during the differentiation of the ANTIBODY-PRODUCING CELLS.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The phenomenon of immense variability characteristic of ANTIBODIES. It enables the IMMUNE SYSTEM to react specifically against the essentially unlimited kinds of ANTIGENS it encounters. Antibody diversity is accounted for by three main theories: (1) the Germ Line Theory, which holds that each antibody-producing cell has genes coding for all possible antibody specificities, but expresses only the one stimulated by antigen; (2) the Somatic Mutation Theory, which holds that antibody-producing cells contain only a few genes, which produce antibody diversity by mutation; and (3) the Gene Rearrangement Theory, which holds that antibody diversity is generated by the rearrangement of IMMUNOGLOBULIN VARIABLE REGION gene segments during the differentiation of the ANTIBODY-PRODUCING CELLS.

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Broader headings

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Synonyms

7 entry terms
  • Antibody Diversities
  • Diversities, Antibody
  • Diversity, Antibody
  • Germ Line Theory
  • Germ Line Theories
  • Theories, Germ Line
  • Theory, Germ Line

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Aspects Covered

5 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings drug effects, genetics, immunology, physiology, radiation effects.

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History Note

80

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Previous Indexing

  • Antibodies (1966-1969)
  • Antibody Specificity (1970-1979)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. G05.365w.036
  2. G12.500.199

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QW 541

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Antibody Diversity. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D000916. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D000916
  2. Antibody Diversity. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q70688269