title: Marginal zone B cells in lymphocyte activation and regulation.
abstract: Marginal zone (MZ) B cells, together with other strategically located innate cells, constitute the first line of defense against blood-borne microorganisms, viruses and toxins in the spleen. Their fast and efficient protective antibody responses are well characterized; however, much less is known of their interactions with other cell types during immune responses. Recent work has demonstrated that MZ B cells can directly activate T cells; and MZ B cells also interact with other antigen presenting cells, transporting and concentrating antigen during the course of T-dependent and T-independent immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Thiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lopes-Carvalho
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foote
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kearney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*