somatic hypermutation; SHM
A biological process in which B cells mutate their antibody genes to increase affinity for an antigen. Technical term used in immunology.
Somatic hypermutation is an important mechanism that generates antibody diversity.
Compound of 体細胞 (somatic cell), 超 (super, hyper), and 変異 (mutation). A direct translation of the English term 'somatic hypermutation'.