title: Differential signalling during B-cell maturation.
abstract: The molecular mechanism by which the antigen receptors (BCR) on B cells can elicit differential maturation state-specific responses is one of the central problems in B-cell differentiation yet to be resolved. Indeed, many of the early signalling events detected following BCR ligation, such as activation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTK), phospholipase C (PLC), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI 3K), protein kinase C (PKC) and the RasMAPK (mitogen activating protein kinase) signalling cascades are observed throughout B-cell maturation. However, it is becoming clear that the differential functional responses of these BCR-coupled signals observed during B-cell maturation are dependent on a number of parameters including signal strength and duration, subcellular localisation of the signal, maturation-restricted expression of downstream signalling effector elements/isoforms and modulation of signal by co-receptors. Thus, the combined signature of BCR signalling is likely to dictate the functional response and act as a developmental checkpoint for B-cell maturation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology, Infection and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G116NT, UK. m.harnett@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Harnett
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Catriona A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000276:immunology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051966:Phospholipase C gamma; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D051966:Phospholipase C gamma; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins