Final answer:
Allelic exclusion is a process in which an individual immune cell silences the expression of one of its two alleles for its antigen receptor genes, resulting in the production of a single type of receptor. This process ensures the specificity of the adaptive immune response.
Step-by-step explanation:
Allelic exclusion is a process in which an individual immune cell silences the expression of one of its two alleles for its antigen receptor genes, resulting in the production of a single type of receptor. This process ensures that each immune cell expresses only one type of receptor, allowing for the specificity of the adaptive immune response. For example, in B cells, allelic exclusion results in the production of antibodies with a single antigen binding specificity.
Allelic exclusion affects the adaptive immune cell receptors by ensuring that each immune cell expresses only one type of receptor, which increases the specificity of the immune response. The process helps prevent self-reactive immune cells from causing autoimmune diseases and allows for the generation of a diverse repertoire of immune cells that can recognize a wide range of pathogens.