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B cells, also known as B lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell of the lymphocyte subtype. [1] They function in the humoral immunity component of the adaptive immune system. [1] B cells produce antibody molecules which may be either secreted or inserted into the plasma membrane where they serve as a part of B-cell receptors. [2]
[1] [5] Each B cell, produced in the bone marrow, is highly specific to an antigen. [1] [3] The BCR can be found in a number of identical copies of membrane proteins that are exposed at the cell surface. [1] [3] [6] The general structure of the B cell receptor includes a membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecule and a signal transduction region.
Differentiation of memory B cells into plasma cells is far faster than differentiation by naïve B cells, which allows memory B cells to produce a more efficient secondary immune response. [4] The efficiency and accumulation of the memory B cell response is the foundation for vaccines and booster shots.
Germinal centers or germinal centres (GCs) are transiently formed structures within B cell zone (follicles) in secondary lymphoid organs – lymph nodes, ileal Peyer's patches, and the spleen [1] – where mature B cells are activated, proliferate, differentiate, and mutate their antibody genes (through somatic hypermutation aimed at achieving higher affinity) during a normal immune response ...
A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell (leukocyte) in the immune system of most vertebrates. [1] Lymphocytes include T cells (for cell-mediated and cytotoxic adaptive immunity), B cells (for humoral, antibody-driven adaptive immunity), [2] [3] and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs; "innate T cell-like" cells involved in mucosal immunity and homeostasis), of which natural killer cells are an ...
Germinal center B cells may differentiate into memory B cells or plasma cells. Most of these B cells will become plasmablasts (or "immature plasma cells"), and eventually plasma cells, and begin producing large volumes of antibodies. Some B cells will undergo a process known as affinity maturation. [9]
Individual B-cells in lymphoid tissue possess either kappa or lambda light chains, but never both together. Using immunohistochemistry, it is possible to determine the relative abundance of B-cells expressing kappa and lambda light chains.
The primary function of lymph nodes is the filtering of lymph to identify and fight infection. In order to do this, lymph nodes contain lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, which includes B cells and T cells. These circulate through the bloodstream and enter and reside in lymph nodes. [24] B cells produce antibodies.