Beta 2-Microglobulin

β2-microglobulin was first isolated by Bergard and Bearn (J Biol Chem 243:4095, 1968) from the urine of patients with cadmium-induced renal tubular damage. The complete protein sequence was published in 1972 by Peterson et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 69:1697, 1972) indicating that it belonged to the Ig superfamily.