Idiotype

The idiotype is based upon the variable region (labeled VL and VH in the diagram.)

In immunology, an idiotype is a shared characteristic between a group of immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor (TCR) molecules based upon the antigen binding specificity and therefore structure of their variable region. The variable region of antigen receptors of T cells (TCRs) and B cells (immunoglobulins) contain complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) with unique amino acid sequences. They define the surface and properties of the variable region, determining the antigen specificity and therefore the idiotope of the molecule. Immunoglobulins or TCRs with a shared idiotope are the same idiotype. Antibody idiotype is determined by:

  • Gene rearrangement
  • Junctional diversity
  • P-nucleotides (palindromic nucleotides at sites of single-strand breaks)
  • N-nucleotides
  • Somatic hypermutations

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