The number of major histocompatibility (MHC) protein combinations possible in a given population is enormous. However, an individual in that diverse population has a far more limited array of MHC molecules because ________.
A) the MHC proteins are made from several different gene regions that are capable of rearranging in a number of ways
B) MHC proteins from one individual can only be of class I or class II
C) each of the MHC genes has a large number of alleles, but each individual only inherits two for each gene
D) once a B cell has matured in the bone marrow, it is limited to two MHC response categories

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Each individual inherits two alleles for each MHC gene from their parents, leading to a limited range of MHC molecules that they can present. While each MHC gene has a large number of alleles, an individual can only have two of them.

The Number of Major Histocompatibility (MHC) Protein Combinations Possible in a Given