BLD434 Section 3 Flashcards
Immunology
Pre-BCR
Receptor on the pre-BCR cell that allows for signaling to cause burst of proliferation of pre-B cell
- Consists of rearranged mu heavy chain, surrogate light chain (VpreB and lambda-5), and Ig-a and Ig-B
Surrogate light chain
(On pre-B cells) Consists of VpreB and lambda-5
- Allows small amounts of IgM to make it to the surface of pre-B cell
RAG-1/RAG-2
RAG complex; Recognizes RSS and cuts dsDNA for somatic recombination
- Transiently expressed only in pro-B cells for heavy chain recombination and pre-B cells for light chain recombination
- Gets turned off after recombination is achieved
CAM
Cell Adhesion Molecule
Proteins on the cell surface involved in cell-cell adhesion and communication. Keeps the developing B cell in contact with the stromal cell.
PAX-5
Main B cell transcription factor that locks the pre-B cell into B lymphocyte development. Once PAX-5 is turned on,
BTK
Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase
- An enzyme essential for B cell signaling and development. If mutated, B cells will be stalled in the pre-B cell stage (XLA)
Polyspecific antibody
Abs capable of binding to multiple antigens due to their broad specificity, which can occur in certain situations such as during immune responses to diverse pathogens
Negative Selection
The process by which autoreactive (self-reactive) lymphocytes are eliminated during development to prevent autoimmunity.
Clonal deletion
The removal of autoreactive lymphocytes via apoptosis during negative selection.
Occurs if the lymphocyte’s receptor is crosslinked by self-antigen and cannot remove the self-reactivity by receptor editing.
Clonal anergy
A state of functional unresponsiveness to Ag activation in lymphocytes induced by exposure to soluble self-antigen, preventing activation of autoreactive cells.
Anergic
Self-reactive lymphocytes bind to self-Ag become inactivated and unresponsive to their specific antigens; developmental arrest.
Self-tolerance
The immune system’s ability to recognize ‘self’ and not react or attack it.
LT
Leukotoxin - Produced by B cells to provide maintenance (life) signals for FDC
BAFF
B cell-Activating Factor - Produced by FDC to provide life-saving and maturation signals to B cell
Primary lymphoid follicle
Where immature B cells congregate to interact with FDC to gain life-saving and maturation signal. Cell will die if it doesn’t get the signal in 3 days.
Secondary lymphoid follicle
A structure within lymphoid organs containing germinal centers where T cells and B cells migrate and (Ag-mediated) B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation occur.
Germinal center
A cluster of developing B and T cells in the secondary lymphoid follicle. Here, B cells undergo proliferation, somatic hypermutation, and isotype switching in response to Ag.
Plasma cell
Terminally differentiated B cells that produce and secrete large amounts of antibodies to combat infections.
Centroblast
Large rapidly proliferating B cells in the germinal center (dark zone)
Centrocyte
Matured B cells (centroblasts) that have developed the highest affinity for Ag, located in the light zone of germinal centers
- Have undergone somatic hypermutation and isotype switching
Stages of B cell development
1) Stem cell
2) Pro-B cell
3) Pre-B cell
4) Immature B cell
5) Naive mature B cell
Stem cell stage
Stage 1
Undifferentiated precursor cell capable of self-renewal and giving rise to multiple cell lineages. Expresses CD34 protein.
Pro-B cell stage
Stage 2
Earliest B lineage cell. Heavy chain somatic recombination, then Mu heavy chain is expressed. Expression of surrogate light chain.
Pre-B cell stage
Stage 3
Transient expression of pre-BCR. Rearranged Ig heavy chain, begins V-J rearrangement of light chain, expresses surrogate light chain (VpreB, 5) and Ig, and Ig proteins
Immature B cell
Stage 4
B cell expressing IgM (mu chain) on the surface. Has mature BCR.
Naive mature B cell stage
Stage 5 (final)
Fully mature B cell presenting IgM and IgD on the surface; ready to encounter Ag
Why do pre-B cells undergo a burst of proliferation after signaling through the pre-BCR?
Amplification of the population of pre-BCR with successful heavy chain rearrangements.
- Beneficial because they can skip mu heavy chain rearrangement and increases the chance of getting a viable B cell after light chain rearrangement
When are RAG-1 and RAG-2 expressed during B cell development?
During the early stages - during somatic recombination of Ig genes in pro-B (for heavy chains) and pre-B cells (for light chains)
What percent of developing B lymphocytes make it through heavy and light chain rearrangement of somatic recombination?
Heavy = 66%
Light = 85%
Why does Ig light chain rearrangement have a higher success rate than heavy chain?
- Smaller gene segment pool (only V and J), less cuts required for recombination
- Light chain has 4 chances for successful rearrangement, while the heavy chain only has 2
What CD markers are used to identify B-1 lymphocytes?
CD5 (B-1 only) and CD19/CD20 (all B cells)
B-1 cells
- produced in fetus
- self-renewal capabilities
- HIGH spontaneous Ig production
- IgM»_space; IgG
- Low/No somatic hypermutation
- respond to carbohydrate Ag
- doesn’t require help from T cells
B-2 cells
- Produced continuously after birth
- No self-renewal – replaced from bone marrow
- LOW spontaneous Ig production
- IgG > IgM
- High somatic hypermutation
- require activation for Ab secretion
- Respond to carbohydrate and protein Ag
- Requires help from T cells
Receptor editing
B cells that express self-reactivity can undergo successive light chain gene rearrangements to edit their light chains to avoid negative selection.
B lymphocyte half-life after it exits the bone marrow and enters circulation
100 days