Biology of the B lymphocyte

Figure 7.1Differentiation pathway of B lymphocytes. Dashed lines on the pre-B cell indicate surrogate light chains. The two lines associated with the cell surface heavy chain represent the molecules Iga and Igb.

Overview of B cell development

Bone marrow stromal cells are required for maturation of progenitor B cells into precursor B cells

Figure 7.2A: The pre-B-cell receptor (pre-BCR). B: The B-cell receptor (BCR). The heavy chain of the pre-BCR is a m chain; the heavy chain of the BCR may be a m, d, g, a, or e chain. The immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM, discussed later in this chapter) is depicted as a rectangle in the Iga and Igb polypeptides.

Figure 7.3Interaction of the immature B cell with self-antigens.

B cell activationby TD antigen

Figure 7.4Important molecules expressed on the surface membrane of the mature B cell.