B Cell Positive Selection: Road Map to the Primary Repertoire?

Accumulating evidence indicates that positive selection events mediate differentiation, lineage commitment, and longevity of B lymphocytes. The BCR plays a central role, dictating the likelihood that newly formed cells will complete maturation, as well as whether cells persist within mature pools. Competition among B cells for limited, life span-promoting resources, which include self-ligands, lineage-specific cytokines, and innate receptor ligands, underlie these selective processes. Together, these observations suggest that positive selection is a critical feature in the establishment and maintenance of all lymphocyte pools, prompting re-evaluation of the underlying biological rationale for this process.