Abstract
Publisher Summary This chapter describes light chains of human immunoglobulins. Components, which represent homogeneous (monoclonal) free light chains, have provided an invaluable resource for investigations that have shown the role of the light chain in contributing to antibody diversity and specificity and in serving as a marker of B cell development. Antisera to the two major types of human light chains, λ and ĸ are commercially available; however, these reagents, while suitable for most routine clinical laboratory analyses, have very limited research applicability. Immunochemical techniques provide a powerful means to recognize and characterize intracellular, cell-surface, or secreted light chains, especially those with unusual variable (V) or constant (C) region structure. This chapter describes the procedures for the isolation and purification of light chains and of V L - and C L - related components, the preparation of anti-light chain antisera, and the characterization of the specificities of anti-light chain antisera.
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