kevytketjua

Kevytketjua refers to the light chain component of an antibody molecule. Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are Y-shaped proteins produced by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. Each antibody molecule is composed of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. The light chains are significantly shorter than the heavy chains and play a crucial role in forming the antigen-binding site of the antibody.

There are two main types of light chains, kappa (κ) and lambda (λ). In humans and most mammals, an individual antibody molecule will possess either kappa light chains or lambda light chains, but never both. The kappa and lambda light chains share a similar structure, each consisting of a variable region and a constant region. The variable regions of the light chains, along with the variable regions of the heavy chains, assemble to create the unique antigen-binding site that determines the antibody's specificity for a particular antigen. The constant regions contribute to the overall structure and effector functions of the antibody. The ratio of kappa to lambda light chains can vary between species and in certain disease states.