title: Regulation of peripheral B cell maturation.
abstract: Although it is clear that the final phases of B cell maturation occur after newly formed B cells exit the bone marrow, the mechanisms underpinning the maturation, selection, and long-term survival of immature peripheral B cells remain poorly understood. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of how B cell receptor (BCR)-mediated signaling events integrate with additional environmental cues to promote the selection and differentiation of immature B cells into functionally distinct subpopulations of mature B cells. We pay particular attention to the role of the Baff cytokine family and the Notch receptor-ligand family and their unique roles in promoting B cell survival and differentiation into follicular and marginal zone B cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6082, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Bhaskar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Allman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell