title: Modelling two possible mechanisms for the regulation of the germinal center dynamics.
abstract: Research on the germinal center has tried to unravel the mechanisms that control its dynamics. In this study we focus on the termination of the germinal center reaction, which is still an open problem. We propose two hypothetical biological mechanisms that may be responsible for the control of germinal center dynamics and analyze them through mathematical models. The first one is based on the differentiation of follicular dendritic cells and/or T cells. Interaction of these cells in the differentiated state with germinal center B cells would promote B cell differentiation into memory B cells and Ab-forming cells, ending the germinal center reaction. The second mechanism applies only to a scenario without recycling and consists of the decay of a hypothetical proliferation signal for centroblasts that limits the number of cell divisions. Each of the models makes predictions that can be experimentally tested.
authors.affiliation: Estudos Avançados de Oeiras, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal. jmoreira@igc.gulbenkian.pt
authors.forename: Joana S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology