Immunoglobulin light chains

Summary

Immunoglobulin light chains are part of the B-cell receptor and can therefore be considered as a pan B-cell marker - expressed from late lymphoblast stage until plasma cell differentiation.

Where cells express predomnantly kappa or lambda (light chain restriction) then clonality can be inferred.

Normal expression and function

The immunoglobulin molecule (with either kappa or lambda light chain) forms the antigen-recognising portion of the B-cell receptor. Normal mature B cells therefore express light chains which are formed during pro-B to pre-B cell development appearing at the surface and remaining expressed on the cell surface until plasma cell development (when the immunoglobulin molecules become internal contaned within cytoplasmic secretory vesicles).

Diagnostic role

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Other relevant information:

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SUMMARY TABLES

Note The colour and % refer to the proportion of cases expressing the marker. Additional comments on strength, or site of expression (if relevant) are given below the table. For full details of key click here. For further information about a particular disease state click <I> adjacent to the condition name

Expression in primitive cell types
AML	CMML	B ALL	Burkitt	T ALL	ETP ALL <I>	MPAL <I>	Hgns <I>
? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%

Notes: xxxxx

Expression in mature B cell neoplasms
CLL	MCL	FL	MZL	HCL	DLBCL	LPL	PCL
? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%

Notes: xxxxx

Expression in mature T cell neoplasms*
ATLL	CTCL/Sezary	T-PLL	T-LGL	NK-LGL
? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%	? <5% 5-20% 20-40% 40-80% 80-100%

Notes: xxxxx

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