Immunoglobulin Lambda Variable (IglV)

Immunoglobulins (Ig) are the antigen recognition molecules of B cells. An Ig molecule is made up of 2 identical heavy chains and 2 identical light chains, either kappa or lambda, joined by disulfide bonds so that each heavy chain is linked to a light chain and the 2 heavy chains are linked together. The kappa and lambda light chains have no apparent functional differences. Each Ig lambda light chain has an N-terminal variable (V) region containing the antigen-binding site and a C-terminal constant (C) region, encoded by a C region gene (IGLC1), that provides signaling functions. The IglV region is encoded by 2 types of genes: V genes and joining (J) genes. Random selection of just 1 gene of each type to assemble a V region accounts for the great diversity of V regions among Ig molecules. The lambda light chain locus on chromosome 22 contains approximately 30 functional V genes, followed by approximately 4 functional J genes.