IgD, like IgM, is a primordial immunoglobulin class perpetuated in most jawed vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: IgD has remained a mysterious Ig class and a bane to immunology students since its discovery >40 years ago. Its spotty occurrence in mammals and birds and the discovery of an isotype with similarities to IgD in bony fish are perplexing. We have identified IgD heavy (H) chain (delta) from the amphibian Xenopus tropicalis during examination of the IgH locus. The Xenopus delta gene is in the same position, immediately 3' of the IgM gene, as in mammals, and it is expressed only in the spleen at low levels, primarily as a transmembrane receptor by surface IgM(+) cells. Our data suggest that frog IgD is expressed on mature B cells, like in mouse/human. Unexpectedly, Xenopus IgD is orthologous to IgW, an Ig isotype found only in cartilaginous fish and lungfish, demonstrating that IgD/W, like IgM,

SUBMITTER: Ohta Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1636022 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature