In article <01bc5a80$61968760$0f19bb81 at default>, Felix Rockmann
<URL:mailto:Felix.Rockmann at stud.tu-muenchen.de> wrote:
> Dear Ted,
>> I am not sure wether you received my first reply , but anyway...
>> I thought that it is not a matter of "different" b-cells, but a
> age-dependent process:
>> After becoming antibody secreting cells, a few of those do not undergo
> apotosis, but become memory cells !
I am not aware that there is any evidence for "plasma cells" which are of course
the cells responsible for nearly all "secreted antibody" production becoming
long lived memory cells.
Thus it is a valid question in my opinion to ask how a B-cell "decides" whether
to terminally differentiate into a short lived plasma cell and secrete lots
of antibody or to remain as a "memory B-cell" and take part in a future immune
response.
Mike Clark, mrc7 at cam.ac.ukhttp://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/
--
o/ \\ // || ,_ o Dr. M.R. Clark, Division of Immunology
<\__,\\ // __o || / /\, Cambridge University, Dept. Pathology
"> || _`\<,_ // \\ \> | Tennis Court Rd., Cambridge CB2 1QP
` || (_)/ (_) // \\ \_ Tel.+44 1223 333705 Fax.+44 1223 333875
