Abstract
Tracking B cells in germinal centres — hotspots of B-cell proliferation and mutation during an immune response — reveals that those cells presenting the most antigen on their surface are programmed to dominate. See Letter p.637 Clonal expansion, in which B lymphocytes bearing antigen-specific immunoglobulins proliferate in specialized areas of lymphoid tissue known as germinal centres, is a vital part of the immune reaction. This study reveals how germinal-centre B lymphocytes with the highest affinity for antigen are selectively expanded and diversified. B-cell clonal expansion and hypermutation respond in proportion to the amount of antigen that the B cells present to follicular helper T cells. The selected cells both increase their rate of cell division and undergo increased somatic mutation, so the highest affinity cells are also the most diversified group.
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