Somatic rearrangements of the T cell receptor b chain germline DNA
Somatic rearrangements of the T cell receptor b chain germline DNA
The B chain of the T cell antigen receptor is composed of variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments. Somatic rearrangements occur with D-J joining followed by V-D-J joining. The random addition and/or deletion of nucleotides (N) forming the NDbN account for the tremendous diversity of the variable region of the b chain.
Adapted from T cell maturation in the thymus. In: Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Abbas, AK, Lithtman, AH, Pober, JS, (Eds), Philadelphia, WB Saunders 1994. p.172.
