B Cell Clonal Selection/Expansion & B Cell Differentiation

What happens when a helper T cell meets a circulating B cell in the lymph node?

B cells that recognize the same pathogen as the T cell become activated, divide, and differentiate.

What are the outcomes of B cell differentiation based on cytokine signals from helper T cells?

Some B cells differentiate into antibody-secreting plasma cells, some become memory B cells, and others undergo further refinements to their B-cell receptor.

What is somatic hypermutation and selection in B cell differentiation?

Somatic hypermutation and selection generate B cells with a higher affinity for the antigen, a process called affinity maturation.

What is isotype switching in B cells?

Isotype switching is the recombination of heavy chain constant region genes, resulting in a different heavy chain type.