Immunoglobulin allotype
Encyclopedia
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
, an immunoglobulin allotype is the allele
Allele
An allele is one of two or more forms of a gene or a genetic locus . "Allel" is an abbreviation of allelomorph. Sometimes, different alleles can result in different observable phenotypic traits, such as different pigmentation...
of the antibody
Antibody
An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
chains found in the individual.
To reduce risk of transplant rejection
Transplant rejection
Transplant rejection occurs when transplanted tissue is rejected by the recipient's immune system, which destroys the transplanted tissue. Transplant rejection can be lessened by determining the molecular similitude between donor and recipient and by use of immunosuppressant drugs after...
, tissue typing
Tissue typing
Tissue typing is a procedure in which the tissues of a prospective donor and recipient are tested for compatibility prior to transplantation. An embryo can be tissue typed to ensure that the embryo implanted can be a cord-blood stem cell donor for a sick sibling.One technique of tissue typing,...
is used to try to match donors and recipients with the same or similar allotypes.
The most important types are Gm (heavy chain
Heavy chain
]The immunoglobulin heavy chain is the large polypeptide subunit of an antibody .A typical antibody is composed of two immunoglobulin heavy chains and two Ig light chains. Several different types of heavy chain exist that define the class or isotype of an antibody. These heavy chain types vary...
) and km (light chain
Light chain
A light chain is the small polypeptide subunit of a protein complex.More specifically, it can refer to:* Immunoglobulin light chain* Ferritin light chain* Myosin light chain* Kinesin light chain* Dynein light chainLight chain may also refer to:...
).
It can be used in resolving paternity disputes.
External links
- Overview at University of South Carolina School of Medicine
- Overview at Southern Illinois University CarbondaleSouthern Illinois University CarbondaleSouthern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...