| abstract |
Compositions and methods for measuring adaptive immune receptor (T cell receptor and immunoglobulin) diversity are described, and find uses for assessing immunocompetence and other purposes. Means are provided for assessing the effects of diseases or conditions that compromise the immune system and of therapies aimed to reconstitute it. Lymphoid (B- and T-cell) adaptive immune receptor diversity is quantified by calculating the number of uniquely rearranged, CDR3-containing immunoglobulin (Ig) or T-cell receptor (TCR) variable region-encoding genes from sample cells such as blood cells. |