title: B-cell differentiation: instructive one day, stochastic the next.
abstract: Three recent papers provide striking insight into the mechanisms used to regulate B-cell differentiation. They demonstrate that B-cell fate choice can be stochastic, directed, inherited, or some combination of these, depending on the circumstances. The trick is going to be working out which is important when.
authors.affiliation: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, 1G Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3052, Australia. tarlinton@wehi.edu.au
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tarlinton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013269:Stochastic Processes