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Plasma cell differentiation during the germinal center reaction
Author(s) -
Ise Wataru,
Kurosaki Tomohiro
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/imr.12751
Subject(s) - germinal center , somatic hypermutation , plasma cell , biology , b cell , autoimmunity , immunology , antibody , humoral immunity , somatic cell , immunity , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , genetics , gene
Summary Germinal centers ( GC s) are formed in secondary lymphoid tissues upon immunization with T‐dependent antigens. In GC s, somatic hypermutation generates B cells with increased antibody affinity and these high‐affinity B cells preferentially differentiate into plasma cells, which home to bone marrow and confer long‐lived humoral immunity. Recent studies have shed new light on the cellular and molecular basis for initiating the transition from a GC B cell to a plasma cell. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of how plasma cell generation during the GC reaction is regulated for inducing effective long‐term protective immunity and for preventing harmful autoimmunity.