title: Lipid rafts and B-cell activation.
abstract: The B-cell antigen receptor acts during B-cell activation both to initiate signalling cascades and to transport antigen into the cell for subsequent processing and presentation. Recent evidence indicates that membrane microdomains, termed lipid rafts, have a role in B-cell activation as platforms for B-cell receptor (BCR) signalling and might also act in antigen trafficking. Lipid rafts might facilitate the regulation of the BCR during B-cell development by B-cell co-receptors, and during viral infection. So, lipid rafts seem to be an important new piece of the B-cell signalling puzzle.
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Twinbrook II, 12441 Parklawn Drive, Room 200B, MSC 8180, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA. spierce@nih.gov
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pierce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000502:physiology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell