Studies on Fragments of Light Chains of Human Immunoglobulins: Genetic and Biochemical Implications

Bence-Jones proteins are found in the urine of some patients with myeloma. These proteins have physicochemical and immunological properties identical to those of the light chains of immunoglobulins (Putnam, 1962; Cohen, 1963; Schwartz and Edelman, 1963). Once the identity of Bence-Jones proteins with light chains of immunoglobulins was established, the study of the structure of these proteins became extremely important for an understanding of the molecular basis of immunoglobulin synthesis.