title: Follicular dendritic cells and T cells: nurses and executioners in the germinal centre reaction.
abstract: The humoral immune response constitutes an efficient system to protect the organism against diseases caused by invading pathogens. To guarantee a highly efficient defence, the humoral immune system has to be tightly regulated. Two cell subsets in particular, T cells and follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), contribute to the success of these regulation processes. Whereas the particular role of T cells is the elimination of autoreactive clones, the main role of FDCs is to present unprocessed antigen and check B-cell clones for higher affinity. B-cell clones unsuited for improved humoral immune response will be specifically killed. Involvement of Fas-mediated apoptosis might be an additional tool not only in T-cell-mediated regulation, but also in FDC-B cell interaction in the germinal centre.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerdes
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000276:immunology*; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*