Mouse Anti-Rat Ig, κ Light Chain Antibody (S-4515)

Ig κ Light Chain is one of the two types of light chains (the other being the λ light chain) that constitute antibody (immunoglobulin) molecules. Composed of approximately 220 amino acids, it is linked to the heavy chain via disulfide bonds, together forming the basic structure of antibodies. In humans, the κ light chain is encoded by the IGK gene family located on chromosome 2, and its production involves the rearrangement of V (variable), J (joining), and C (constant) gene segments to generate high diversity for recognizing countless antigens. Under physiological conditions, the ratio of κ to λ light chains in serum is approximately 2:1, but this ratio may change under certain pathological conditions. For example, in multiple myeloma, abnormal plasma cells may overproduce free κ light chains (i.e., Bence Jones proteins), which can be excreted in the urine. Therefore, measuring κ light chains and their ratio to λ light chains in blood or urine holds important clinical value for diagnosing and monitoring B-cell-related disorders such as myeloma, amyloidosis, and lymphoproliferative diseases.