Question

Every B cell has two copies of the immunoglobulin _____ which increases the likelihood that a pro-B cell will make a productive heavy chain rearrangement.

Answer 1

Every B cell has two copies of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene, enabling a diverse range of antibody specificities through genetic rearrangement and facilitating a robust immune defense.

Step-by-step explanation:

Every B cell has two copies of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene, which increases the likelihood that a pro-B cell will make a productive heavy chain rearrangement. The genetic diversity of antibodies comes from the recombination of various gene segments in these cells, leading to the production of a unique variable region that defines the binding specificity of an antibody.

Through this process, involving V, D, and J segments for the heavy chain and V and J segments for the light chain, B cells are able to generate a vast array of antibodies, each capable of binding to a different antigen. Upon activation and maturation into plasma cells, B cells begin to secrete large quantities of antibodies with the same unique specificity as their B-cell receptors (BCRs). Memory B cells, on the other hand, remain in the body to provide quicker and more effective responses in the occurrence of reinfection.