Promotion and prevention of autoimmunity by b-lymphocytes

Academic Article

B lymphocytes are normally subject to heavy and ongoing selection through their antigen-specific Ig receptors. Self tolerance mediated through antigen-receptor crosslinking on B cells appears to function in a variety of different and perhaps complementary ways, leading to cell death or editing of the antigen-receptor genes. The consequences of defects in these processes are unclear, but may be sufficient to explain systemic autoimmune disease.

Scripps VIVO