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Medical Definition of Vh and vl genes/domains
1. VH and VL genes define in part the sequences of the variable heavy and light regions of immunoglobulin molecules. VH and VL domains are the regions of amino acid sequence so defined. J genes and, in the case of the heavy chain, a D gene (D=diversity) also define these regions. Gene rearrangement also plays a role in determining the sequences in which the genes are joined as the DNA of the immunoglobulin producing cell matures. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)