EMBO Member

Michael Reth

Universität, Freiburg | Germany

EMBO 1995 | MemPubC 97–99

Development and activation of B Lymphocytes

In 2000 we described that the BCR in its resting state is an oligomer. By approaches of synthetic biology we showed in 2010 that the BCR indeed has an oligomeric organization. Our dissociation-activation model is challenging the current textbook model for B cell activation. By developing PLA assays we confirmed BCR dissociation and are discovering a new world of molecular interaction in the B cell membrane at the 10-20 nanoscale range.

Keywords: B lymphocyte development / structure of the B cell antigen receptor / signaling / kinase-phosphatase / synthetic biology

Subject area(s): Immunology | Membranes & Transport | Signal Transduction