Role of germinal centers in the generation of B cell memory.

Abstract

In 1959 Jaroslav ~TERZL, a s one of the first to realize the importance of studying cellular aspects of the immune response, organized the first of the renowned series of Czechoslovakian Immunology meetings. At that time we knew that lymphocytes and plasma cells both played a role in antibody formation, but the interrelationship between these two cell types did not become clear until 1969, around the time of the third and, unfortunately, last meeting. Insight into heterogeneity of immunoglobulins and the biological properties of different isotypes made rapid progress between the first and the second meeting (1964). Jaroslav STERZL made many important scientific contributions to our understanding of the ontogeny and kinetics of the immune response. In addition, by organizing these catalytic meetings in the field of cellular immunology, with their animated debates, one might say that he presided over the development of cellular immunology. It is, therefore, with pleasure and respect that we participate in this celebration of his sixtieth birthday. Our interest in germinal centers of lymphoid tissue was stimulated by findings reported by the late Bob White (White et al. 1960) at the first Prague meeting. Although for many years following this meeting we attempted to determine the relevance of germinal center cell proliferation to immunological memory, it was not until we could differentiate between T and B lymphocytes that a meaningful examination of this relationship could be made. I t became clear that T--B cell interaction was not only important for the induction of antibody formation in primary and secondary responses, but also for the generation of B cell memory (Mond et al. 1974). We showed that T cells played a definitive role in germinal center formation by studying athymie mice with and without reconstitution by thymus cells (Jacobson et al. 1974). The reconstituted nu/nu mice showed both germinal centers and B-cell memory formation to the T-independent antigens, B. abortus, whereas nu/nu mice without reconstitution did not. It became apparent tha t development