Like all other immunoglobulins, IgE can be secreted into the blood or expressed as a membrane receptor on the surface of B lymphocytes. Secreted immunoglobulins trace the antigen and contribute to its destruction. Membrane immunoglobulins accompany the B cell along its differentiation pathway, regulating processes like the induction and maintenance of immunological memory and differentiation of plasma cells. The regulation of the expression of IgE is very complex. A lot of positive and negative regulators influence the synthesis of IgE. In previous publications, we were able to show that the membrane IgE (mIgE) antigen receptor itself controls the quantity and quality of serum IgE produced. However, the knowledge about the regulatory function of the antigen receptor on these processes is at best limited. In the present paper, we present the construction of a reporter mouse strain, which will help us to follow an mIgE-bearing B cell during the immune response more precisely.

Keywords:
Antigen receptor, IgE, Gene targeting, Reporter mouse strain
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2003
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