title: Germinal center reaction: antigen affinity and presentation explain it all.
abstract: The selection and expansion of B cells undergoing affinity maturation in the germinal center is a hallmark of humoral immunity. A recent paper in Nature provides new insights into the relationships between the affinity of the immunoglobulin receptor for antigen, the ability of B cells to present antigen to T cells, and the processes of selection, mutation, and clonal expansion in the germinal center.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oropallo
authors.affiliation: Immunology Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: andrea.cerutti@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerutti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D060966:Clonal Selection, Antigen-Mediated; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
keywords: Tfh cells; affinity maturation; antigen presentation; germinal center