Prospects for Understanding the Role of Lymphoid Microenvironments in B Cell Differentiation In Vivo

Abstract

In this introduction to the section on B cell differentiation, I will focus on one of the traditional subjects of the Germinal Center Conferences — the role of lymphoid tissue microenvironments, and in particular of germinal centers, in controlling the development and differentiation of functional B cell subsets. Gerry Klaus, in his introductory remarks in our abstract books, emphasized the fact that germinal centers seem rather an esoteric topic to many immunologists today — including, undoubtedly, some attending this conference for the first time. This was not always the case, however. Twenty years ago the role of microenvironments in immune responses was a central concern of the immunology community, perhaps equivalent in general interest to the fascination today with lymphokines or the major histocompatibility complex. In this introduction, I will present my own (probably distorted) perspective on why interest in this area has so declined, and why investigations of in vivo microenvironments should hold renewed fascination to immunologists in the future.