| abstract |
The present invention relates to transgenic animals except humans designed to contain human immunoglobulin (Ig) loci. Advantageously, the animal according to the invention has a human Ig locus which contains a plurality of variable (V H and Vκ) gene sites. In particular, containing a plurality of variable region genes increases the specificity and diversity of human antibodies produced by the animal. Also, containing such sites enhances and reconstructs B cell development in the animal, so that the animal has a large amount of mature B cells that secrete antibodies with extremely high affinity. |