CH1 domain (first constant Ig domain of the heavy chain) in immunoglobulin heavy alpha, delta, epsilon, gamma, and mu chains; member of the C1-set of Ig superfamily (IgSF) domains
The members here are composed of the first immunoglobulin constant-1 set domain of alpha, delta, epsilon, gamma, and mu heavy chains. This domain is found on the Fab antigen-binding fragment. The basic structure of Ig molecules is a tetramer of two light chains and two heavy chains linked by disulfide bonds. There are two types of light chains: kappa and lambda; each is composed of a constant domain and a variable domain. There are five types of heavy chains: alpha, delta, epsilon, gamma, and mu, all consisting of a variable domain (VH) with three (alpha, delta and gamma) or four (epsilon and mu) constant domains (CH1 to CH4). Ig molecules are modular proteins, in which the variable and constant domains have clear, conserved sequence patterns. This group belongs to the C1-set of IgSF domains, which are classical Ig-like domains resembling the antibody constant domain. C1-set domains are found almost exclusively in molecules involved in the immune system, such as in immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II complex molecules, and in various T-cell receptors.