Slide 11

Haplotypes: Passing on Genes for "Self" Antigens

Genes for "self" antigens are passed on from one generation to the next in a clump called a haplotype. A haplotype is a combination of genes--HLA alleles, for example--that are located closely together on the same chromosome and tend to be inherited together as a package deal. Alleles are genes that come in many varieties, all of which function reasonably well at making the related protein.