The switch of a B cell from producing one class of antibody to another antibody class that is responsive to the same antigen is due to

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The switch of a B cell from producing one class of antibody to another antibody class that is responsive to the same antigen is due to the rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy-chain C region DNA. This process is called class switching or isotype switching. It allows the B cell to produce antibodies of different isotypes (IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE) with the same antigen-binding specificity. The rearrangement of the heavy-chain C region DNA occurs by a mechanism called class switch recombination (CSR), which results in the replacement of one constant region gene (C gene) with another C gene downstream in the chromosome. This process is regulated by cytokines produced by T helper cells that activate the B cell to undergo class switching to a specific isotype depending on the nature of the antigen and the type of immune response required.

The Switch of a B Cell from Producing One Class