title: Quantifying helper cell function of human TFH cells in vitro.
abstract: Blood-circulating CXCR5(+) CD4(+) T cells and T follicular helper (TFH) cells, which participate in germinal center (GC) reactions within secondary lymphoid organs, are specialized in providing help to B cells. This chapter describes ways to isolate TFH-like cells out of peripheral blood or tonsils and to quantify their B cell helper function. This comprises different co-culture approaches of TFH-like cells and B cells and the evaluation of their capacity to induce immunoglobulin secretion and plasma cell differentiation. In addition, B cell helper function of CD4 T cells can be estimated indirectly by quantifying the expression of B cell helper cytokines and co-stimulatory and TFH-associated molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Freiburg Medical School, Hugstetter Str. 55, Freiburg, 79106, Germany, nina.chevalier@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chevalier
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines