Immune System Quizlet Related

Review Immune System Quizlet related questions and content

The discovery of immunoglobulin gene rearrangement helped to explain:

  • A. How the number of different immunoglobulins produced by an individual can be far greater than the number of genes in the human genome
  • B. How the number of genes in the human genome can be far greater than the number of different immunoglobulins produced by an individual
  • C. How thousands of immunoglobulin chains of different sequence may be produced by a single B cell
  • D. Both A and C are correct
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: How the number of different immunoglobulins produced by an individual can be far greater than the number of genes in the human genome. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement occurs during B cell development, leading to the generation of a diverse repertoire of antibodies from a limited number of genes. This process allows for the production of a vast array of immunoglobulins through mechanisms like V(D)J recombination. Choice B is incorrect because the gene rearrangement process actually enables a single gene to encode for multiple immunoglobulins. Choice C is partially correct but does not fully capture the significance of gene rearrangement in expanding the diversity of immunoglobulins beyond what the genome would suggest. Choice D is incorrect as it combines a correct statement (A) with an incomplete statement (C).