NCIt synonyms : Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Gene; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus; Immunoglobulin Heavy Gene; IGH;
NCIt definition : This region represents the germline organization of the immunoglobulin heavy chain
locus. The locus includes V (variable), J (joining), diversity (D), and C (constant)
segments. During B cell development, a recombination event at the DNA level joins
a D segment with a J segment; a V segment is then joined to the D-J gene. The C segment
is later joined by splicing at the RNA level. Recombination of many different V segments
with several D and J segments provides a wide range of antigen recognition. Additional
diversity is attained by junctional diversity, resulting from the random additional
of nucleotides by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase, and by somatic hypermutation,
which occurs during B cell maturation in the spleen and lymph nodes. (from LocusLink);