SFB 1310 | April 06, 17:00
Clonal and cellular dynamics of the antibody response
The average affinity of specific antibodies increases dramatically
over the course of an immune response. This increase is the result
of a Darwinian process in which B lymphocytes undergo iterative
cycles of random hypermutation of their immunoglobulin genes,
followed by selective proliferation of clones bearing affinity-
enhancing mutations. This evolutionary process takes place in
highly dynamic microanatomical structures known as germinal
centers, which arise within secondary lymphoid organs upon
infection or immunization. Our work combines intravital
multiphoton microscopy with mouse genetics to study how the
dynamics of B and T lymphocytes within germinal centers shapes
the evolution of the high-affinity antibodies that are crucial to
protection from infectious disease.
Rockefeller University
Seminar Room 0.03, ETP
Contact: Michael Lässig