B cells in the immune response

Before birth in the bone marrow immature B cells divide by mitosis

Still in the bone marrow each B cell matures
Because they mature in the bone marrow they are called B cells
Maturation involves the production of receptor molecules which are
expressed on the plasma membrane of the B cell
Each B cell has a different receptor which will bind with a different antigen
Mature B cells circulate and concentrate in the lymphoid tissues
By birth there are millions of different B cells each with a specific receptor.

Production of antibody
When B cells are activated
they differentiate into plasma
cells
Plasma cells produce large
quantities of antibody
molecules
The antibody produced by the
plasma cell has the same
antigen specificity as the
receptor on the surface of the
B cell
Plasma cells have an
extensive network of rough
endoplasmic reticulum for
antibody (protein) production
Plasma cells are only short
lived and after several weeks
their numbers decrease.

Clonal selection , expansion and differentiation

A pathogen with
antigens on its surface
enters the body
Only one of these B cells
has a receptor that
matches the antigen. This
B cell is selected.
The selected B cell
divides by mitosis to form
a clone. This is clonal
expansion.
Some of the clone of B
cells differentiate into
plasma cells and secrete
antibody
Others turn into memory
cells which will persist in
case the antigen enters
the body a second time.

Now watch it happen!

T cells

T cells are made in the bone

marrow before birth
They then migrate to the thymus
gland (thats why theyre called T
cells) and then mature in exactly
the same way as B cells
A mature T cell will express
receptors on its surface which can
bind antigen
Specific T cells are activated
(clonal selection) when they come
across macrophages which have
processed the appropriate
antigens.

After activation some T cells will

differentiate into T memory cells
which are long lived. T suppressor
cells are also produced which
close down the response after the
antigen is eliminated.

The macrophages secrete

cytokines to activate the T cells to
undergo clonal expansion
The T cells may be T helper cells
which express a receptor called
CD4 or cytotoxic T cells which
express CD8

Role of the T helper cell in the activation of B cells

In order for the B cell to undergo clonal selection and expansion as

explained before, help from an activated T cell is required.
Macrophages take up and process antigens
They present these on their plasma membranes in conjunction with MHC
proteins
T cells with complimentary antigen receptors on their surfaces are
stimulated to undergo clonal expansion after binding with the processed
antigen due to cytokines released by the macrophage
The result will be a clone of activated T cells specific for that antigen

The T helper cells which have been activated then come into contact
with B cells which have also processed antigen
The T cells bind to the surface of the B cells and secrete cytokines
which stimulate the B cells to undergo clonal expansion and
differentiation into plasma cells

Summary

Role of T cells in cell mediated immunity

Antigens are ingested and
presented on the surface of
macrophages.
If a T cell with a CD8
receptor comes across a
macrophage which has
processed the appropriate
viral antigen it will bind to
the macrophage.
The macrophage will
activate the T cell by
secreting cytokines.
The T cell will then undergo
clonal expansion.
The result will be a clone of
activated cytotoxic T cells
or T killer cells

Killing by cytotoxic T cells

Once the killer T cell is activated it
may come across body cells infected
by virus
The body cell will have processed the
viral antigens and they will be
expressed on its surface
The killer cell will bind to the infected
body cell via its CD8 receptor and will
be activated to kill the infected cell
This is accomplished by the killer cell
using perforin proteins to puncture the
cell membrane and then injecting toxic
enzymes which will lead to cell death
or apoptosis.

Immunity and cancer

When normal cells turn into cancer
cells some of their surface antigens
change
Cancer cells often stop expressing
the normal antigens of the major
histocompatability complex (MHC)
These changes can activate
cytotoxic T cells to attack and kill the
cancer cells
According to one theory cells of the
immune system are continually
patrolling and eliminating cells that
undergo malignant transformation.
For animations of the immune response go to
www.whfreeman.com/thelifewire6e/content/ch19ch/19xe04.htm

Allergies
Asthma, hayfever and eczema are
allergic reactions.
These occur when the immune
system reacts to harmless
substances called allergens
On first exposure to the allergen
IgE antibodies are produced
These bind to receptors on mast
cells
The body is now sensitised to the
allergen
On second contact with the
allergen the IgE molecules are
cross-linked
This causes the mast cell to
release histamine and inflammation
occurs

Asthma

This can be a severe disease and can be

fatal
People with asthma have airways that
are nearly always inflamed
During an asthmatic attack this
inflammation worsens due to goblet
cells secreting large amounts of mucus
The smaller airways become blocked
with fluid
The muscle surrounding the trachea,
bronchi and bronchioles contracts
narrowing the airway
Breathing becomes difficult and
wheezing occurs
Asthma can be treated using drugs
which relax the smooth muscle these
are called bronchodilators
House dust mites, their faeces, animal
skin and pollen can all be allergens.
See www.schoolscience.co.uk for good
info and animations on asthma