title: Phenotypic analysis of B-cells and plasma cells.
abstract: B-cells and antibody-secreting plasma cells are key players in protective immunity, but also in autoimmune disease. To understand their various functions in the initiation and maintenance of autoimmune pathology, a detailed dissection of their functional diversity is mandatory. This requires a detailed phenotypic classification of the diversity of B-cells. Here, technologies of immunocytometry and ELISpot are described in detail, and their value for phenotypic characterization of cells of the B lineage, as well as for preparative cell sorting, to further characterize them functionally and on the molecular level are described.
authors.affiliation: German Rheumatism Research Centre, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Henrik E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Taketoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Gwendolin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muehlinghaus
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hiepe
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dörner
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: Bimba F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Hoyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000502:physiology*