isotypswitchning
Isotypswitchning, also referred to as isotype switching or class switching, is a biological process that occurs in mature B cells during an adaptive immune response. It involves the alteration of the constant region of an antibody molecule while keeping the variable region, which determines antigen specificity, unchanged. This process allows the immune system to produce antibodies with different effector functions tailored to specific pathogens or infection stages.
During isotypswitchning, a B cell initially produces immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies, which are the first to
The process is regulated by transcription factors, including activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which introduces mutations and
While primarily studied in mammals, similar mechanisms have been observed in other vertebrates, though the specific