B‐lymphocyte Activation

Mamnunur Khan, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
Martin Turner, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK

Published online: April 2006

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0004209

B-lymphocyte activation is initiated by the binding of antigen to the B-cell receptor (BCR), which leads to an intricate web of downstream intracellular signalling events that ultimately results in a specific immune response. Breakdown in any of the multiple signalling cascades controlling B-lymphocyte activation can result not only in impaired B-cell development and immunodeficiency, but also in a predisposition to autoimmunity and malignancy.

Keywords: B-cell activation; signalosome; B-cell signalling; BCR

Figure 1. The signalling events during B-cell activation. A plethora of signalling molecules become activated upon BCR cross-linking, modulated by the activation of stimulatory and inhibitory coreceptors.
Figure 2. Non-BCR-mediated B-cell activation pathways. The major non-BCR-mediated pathways, which contribute to B-cell activation by a variety of stimuli: (a) complement factors; (b) contact-mediated T-cell help; (c) LPS, CpG motifs in bacteria; (d) BAFF-mediated survival signals; (e) Notch activation by cells expressing Delta-like or Jagged family of ligands.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Cells of the Immune System | Antigens
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Article Title: B‐lymphocyte Activation
 
How to Cite close
Khan, Mamnunur, and Turner, Martin(Apr 2006) B‐lymphocyte Activation. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0004209]