Activated germinal centre B cells undergo directed migration. (26th May 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Connor, Mark J.; Hauser, Anja E.; Haberman, Ann M.; Kleinstein, Steven H.
• Is Part Of: International journal of data mining and bioinformatics. Volume 5:Number 3(2011)
• Page Start: 321
• Page End: 331
• Publication Date: 2011-05-26
• Subjects: germinal centres -- random walk -- lymphocyte migration -- two-photon microscopy -- computational immunology -- bioinformatics -- affinity maturation -- adaptive immunity -- B-cell receptors -- B cells -- B-cell motion; Data mining -- Periodicals; Bioinformatics -- Periodicals; 006.312
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-5673

Abstract

Affinity maturation, the fundamental basis for adaptive immunity, is accomplished through somatic hypermutation of B-cell receptors followed by expansion of rare mutants with higher affinity for the immunising antigen. This process occurs over a period of weeks in unique micro-anatomic sites known as germinal centres. Two-photon microscopy has recently made it possible to track individual cells moving within germinal centres in living animals. Here we apply statistical approaches to test the hypothesis that B-cell motion is random. Our results show that activated B cells move in a directed manner that sharply contrasts with the behaviour of na?ve B cells.