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The HLA Complex

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Principles of Molecular Medicine

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Abstract

The human major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or HLA (for human leukocyte antigen), is located on chromosome 6 and contains multiple genes that encode proteins which play central roles in the generation of immune responses. The HLA complex can be divided into three regions, each of which contains genes that encode molecules of similar structures: the class I and II genes encode the HLA class I and II molecules, respectively, and the class III genes encode the C4, C2, and Bf components of the complement system. The HLA class I and II molecules are intimately involved in the process of discriminating self from non-self, and these molecules share the characteristic of being highly polymorphic in the population.

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Authors
  1. Robert W. Karr
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA

    J. Larry Jameson MD, PhD

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© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Karr, R.W. (1998). The HLA Complex. In: Jameson, J.L. (eds) Principles of Molecular Medicine. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-726-0_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-726-0_31

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-6272-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-726-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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