(immunoglobulin heavy locus) This region represents the germline organization of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. The locus includes V (variable), J (joining), diversity (D), and C (constant) segments. During B cell development, a recombination event at the DNA level joins a D segment with a J segment; a V segment is then joined to the D-J gene. The C segment is later joined by splicing at the RNA level. Recombination of many different V segments with several D and J segments provides a wide range of antigen recognition. Additional diversity is attained by junctional diversity, resulting from the random additional of nucleotides by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase, and by somatic hypermutation, which occurs during B cell maturation in the spleen and lymph nodes. (from LocusLink)

(genes, immunoglobulin heavy chain) Genes and gene segments encoding the IMMUNOGLOBULIN HEAVY CHAINS. Gene segments of the heavy chain genes are symbolized V (variable), D (diversity), J (joining), and C (constant).