title: Regulation of B Cell to Plasma Cell Transition within the Follicular B Cell Response.
abstract: Persistent humoral immunity depends on the follicular B cell response and on the generation of somatically mutated high-affinity plasma cells and memory B cells. Upon activation by an antigen, cognately activated follicular B cells and follicular T helper (TFH ) cells initiate germinal centre (GC) reaction during which high-affinity effector cells are generated. The differentiation of activated follicular B cells into plasma cells and memory B cells is guided by complex selection events, both at the cellular and molecular level. The transition of B cell into a plasma cell during the GC response involves alterations in the microenvironment and developmental state of the cell, which are guided by cell-extrinsic signals. The developmental cell fate decisions in response to these signals are coordinated by cell-intrinsic gene regulatory network functioning at epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K-P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Nera
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kyläniemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lassila
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000276:immunology*; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines