B cell | EPFL Graph Search

Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?

Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of GraphSearch.

B cells, also known as B lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell of the lymphocyte subtype. They function in the humoral immunity component of the adaptive immune system. B cells produce antibody molecules which may be either secreted or inserted into the plasma membrane where they serve as a part of B-cell receptors. When a naïve or memory B cell is activated by an antigen, it proliferates and differentiates into an antibody-secreting effector cell, known as a plasmablast or plasma cell. Additionally, B cells present antigens (they are also classified as professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs)) and secrete cytokines. In mammals, B cells mature in the bone marrow, which is at the core of most bones. In birds, B cells mature in the bursa of Fabricius, a lymphoid organ where they were first discovered by Chang and Glick, which is why the 'B' stands for bursa and not bone marrow as commonly believed. B cells, unlike the other two classes of lymphocytes, T cells and natural killer cells, express B cell receptors (BCRs) on their cell membrane. BCRs allow the B cell to bind to a foreign antigen, against which it will initiate an antibody response. B cell receptors are extremely specific, with all BCRs on a B cell recognizing the same epitope. B cells develop from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that originate from bone marrow. HSCs first differentiate into multipotent progenitor (MPP) cells, then common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) cells. From here, their development into B cells occurs in several stages (shown in image to the right), each marked by various gene expression patterns and immunoglobulin H chain and L chain gene loci arrangements, the latter due to B cells undergoing V(D)J recombination as they develop. B cells undergo two types of selection while developing in the bone marrow to ensure proper development, both involving B cell receptors (BCR) on the surface of the cell. Positive selection occurs through antigen-independent signalling involving both the pre-BCR and the BCR.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related publications (6)

Related concepts (142)

Related courses (78)

Related lectures (709)

Related MOOCs (19)

Analysis and Modeling of the Dynamics of Traction Forces during Cell Polarization and their Role in the Organization of Edge Activity

Zeno Messi

The capacity to break symmetry and organize activity to move directionally is a fundamental property of eukaryotic cells. To explain the organization of cell-edge activity, models commonly rely on fro

EPFL2021

Allosteric regulation and targeting of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) in B-cell lymphoma

Daniel Pereira Duarte

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) is a key component of BCR signaling required for B-cell maturation and activation. Loss-of-function mutations throughout the Btk protein cause human X-linked agammaglobu

EPFL2020

Traction Forces Control Cell-Edge Dynamics and Mediate Distance Sensitivity during Cell Polarization

Alicia Carine Bornert, Zeno Messi

Traction forces are generated by cellular actin-myosin system and transmitted to the environment through adhesions. They are believed to drive cell motion, shape changes, and extracellular matrix remo

2020

Introduction à l'immunologie (part 1)

Ce cours décrit les mécanismes fondamentaux du système immunitaire pour mieux comprendre les bases immunologiques dela vaccination, de la transplantation, de l’immunothérapie, de l'allergie et des mal

Introduction à l'immunologie (part 2)

Differential Amplifier Design

Covers the design of a differential amplifier with key parameters like gain and bias current.

Understanding Chaos in Quantum Field Theories

Explores chaos in quantum field theories, focusing on conformal symmetry, OPE coefficients, and random matrix universality.

Immune Cell Engineering: Targeting Checkpoint Inhibitors

Explores immune cell engineering for cancer therapy, emphasizing checkpoint inhibitor targeting through innovative delivery methods.

Lymphocyte

A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell (leukocyte) in the immune system of most vertebrates. Lymphocytes include T cells (for cell-mediated, cytotoxic adaptive immunity), B cells (for humoral, antibody-driven adaptive immunity), and Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) ("innate T cell-like" cells involved in mucosal immunity and homeostasis), of which natural killer cells are an important subtype (which functions in cell-mediated, cytotoxic innate immunity).

B cell

White blood cell

White blood cells, also called leukocytes or leucocytes, are cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. White blood cells include three main subtypes; granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes. White cells is most preferred rather than the, white blood cells, because, they spend most of their time in the lymph or plasma. All white blood cells are produced and derived from multipotent cells in the bone marrow known as hematopoietic stem cells.

Singular cohomology is defined by dualizing the singular chain complex for spaces. We will study its basic properties, see how it acquires a multiplicative structure and becomes a graded commutative a

Immunoengineering is an emerging field where engineering principles are grounded in immunology. This course provides students a broad overview of how engineering approaches can be utilized to study im

Le TP de physiologie introduit les approches expérimentales du domaine biomédical, avec les montages de mesure, les capteurs, le conditionnement des signaux, l'acquisition et traitement de données. Le