IMGT, the international ImMunoGeneTics database

IMGT, the international ImMunoGeneTics database (http://imgt.cines.fr:8104) , is a high-quality integrated database specialising in Immunoglobulins (Ig ), T cell Receptors (TcR) and Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecu les of all vertebrate species, created in 1989 by Marie-Paule Lefranc, Univ ersite Montpellier II, CNRS, Montpellier, France (lefranc@ ligm.igh.cnrs.fr ). At present, IMGT includes two databases:IMGT/LIGM-DB, a comprehensive da tabase of Ig and TcR from human and other vertebrates, with translation for fully annotated sequences, and IMGT/ HLA-DB, a database of the human MHC r eferred to as HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigens), The IMGT server provides a co mmon access to expertized genomic, proteomic, structural and polymorphic da ta of Ig and TcR molecules of all vertebrates. By its high quality and its easy data distribution, IMGT has important implications in medical research (repertoire in autoimmune diseases, AIDS, leukemias, lymphomas), therapeut ic approaches (antibody engineering), genome diversity and genome evolution studies. IMGT is freely available at http://imgt.cines.fr:8104. The IMGT I ndex is provided at the IMGT Marie-Paule page(http://imgt.cines.fr:8104/tex tes/IMGTindex.html).