Abstract
The region of the genome that contains the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which has been highly conserved throughout evolution, and its linked genes is critical for self-recognition, growth, and development in a variety of species (1–3). We have developed a hypothesis to relate these various functions, and it is shown in Figure 12.1. The MHC genes are primarily involved in the differentiation of self and nonself, and the regulation of their expression plays a major role in the unique immunogenic profile of the placenta. They are also important in the resistance to infectious diseases. The MHC-linked genes influence growth, development, and resistance to cancer. In the rat, which is the experimental animal that we have used, the MHC-linked region is designated the growth and reproduction complex (grc). In the mouse the t-haplotypes display many similar properties, but they are fundamentally different because they cause segregation distortion and suppress recombination, which the grc does not (4). Similar genes are also found in other species, and they are discussed below. In the human there is evidence that the genes of the MHC behave in groups that have been variously called complotypes (5) or extended haplotypes (6, 7). Recombination appears to be more frequent between blocks of MHC genes than within blocks, and extended haplotypes have been extensively associated with susceptibility to a variety of diseases.
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References
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Gill, T.J., Ho, HN., Kanbour-Shakir, A., Kunz, H.W. (1994). MHC-Linked Genes and Their Role in Growth and Reproduction. In: Hunt, J.S. (eds) Immunobiology of Reproduction. Serono Symposia, USA. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8422-9_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8422-9_12
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