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Immunoglobulin synthesis and secretion

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Monoclonal Gammopathies and the Kidney

Abstract

Immunoglobulins (antibodies) are a family of glycoproteins that are produced by plasma cells. All immunoglobulin molecules consist of a unit composed of two identical light (L) chain polypeptide chains and two identical heavy (H) polypeptide chains linked together by disulfide bonds (H2L2). The L and H chains fold into functional domains, two for the L chain and four or five for the H chain. The N-terminal domain from each chain forms the variable regions, VL and VH, which together constitute the antigen-binding site. The rest of the molecule has a relatively constant (C) structure. The variable regions with the constant region of the L chain and the first constant region domain of the H chain constitute an Fab region. The remaining constant region domains of the H chain make up the Fc region. Immunoglobulin molecules follow several different assembly and secretion pathways and have characteristic post-translational modifications that can contribute to their diverse functional capacities. Alterations in post-translational modification can be associated with significant diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis1,2 and IgA nephropathy3,4.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics and the Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    D. O. Beenhouwer, K. R. Chintalacharuvu & S. L. Morrison

Authors
  1. D. O. Beenhouwer
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  2. K. R. Chintalacharuvu
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  3. S. L. Morrison
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Hospital, Poitiers, France

    Guy Touchard

  2. Tenon Hospital, Paris, France

    Pierre Aucouturier  & Pierre Ronco  & 

  3. Necker Hospital, Paris, France

    Olivier Hermine

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Beenhouwer, D.O., Chintalacharuvu, K.R., Morrison, S.L. (2003). Immunoglobulin synthesis and secretion. In: Touchard, G., Aucouturier, P., Hermine, O., Ronco, P. (eds) Monoclonal Gammopathies and the Kidney. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0191-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0191-4_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6199-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-0191-4

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