Preface

Immunoglobulin genes are not just of interest to immunologists. An understanding of the way in which DNA rearrangement and somatic mutation contribute to antibody diversity is of importance to a wide range of biologists. The cell-type specificity of immunoglobulin gene expression is of concern to many who are interested in gene expression in mammals. Furthermore, the immunoglobulin superfamily itself presents important questions to those interested in evolution. The analysis of immunoglobulins and of their genetics has advanced rapidly since the mid-l970s, mainly as a result of the application of recombinant DNA and monoclonal antibody technologies. The essential features of the molecular anatomy of both antibodies and their genes have been largely identified; this has resulted in significant insights into the way antibody diversity is generated. Clearly, much still remains to be elucidated in these areas, whilst studies both of regulation and of phylogeny are still in their infancy.