B Cell Activation and

Antibody Production
Role of CR2 and Toll-like
receptors in B cell activation
Functional responses induced by antigen-
mediated cross-linking of the BCR complex
Sequence of events in humoral immune
responses to T cell–dependent protein
antigens
Antigen presentation on B
cells to helper T cells
Mechanisms of helper T cell–
mediated B cell activation
The germinal center reaction in
a lymph node
Ig heavy chain isotype switching
Mechanisms of heavy chain
isotype switching
B cell selection in germinal centers

Somatic mutation of V genes in germinal center B cells generates antibodies with different affinities
for antigen. Binding of the B cells to antigen displayed on follicular dendritic cells is necessary to
rescue the B cells from programmed cell death. B cells may also present antigen to germinal center
TFH cells, which promote B cell survival. The B cells with the highest affinity for antigen thus have a
selective advantage for survival as the amount of available antigen
decreases during an immune response. This leads to an average increase in the affinity of
antibodies for antigen as the humoral immune response progresses.
Production of membrane and
secreted μ chains in B
lymphocytes
Regulation of B cell activation by FcγRIIB

Antibody feedback is a mechanism by which humoral immune responses are downregulated

when enough antibody has been produced and soluble antibody-antigen complexes are present.
B cell membrane Ig and the receptor on B cells for the Fc portions of IgG, called FcγRIIB, are
clustered together by antibody-antigen complexes. This activates an inhibitory signaling cascade
through the cytoplasmic tail of FcγRIIB that terminates the activation of the B cell.