The quantitative regulation of antibody forming cell differentiation

B淋巴细胞是免疫系统中产生抗体的细胞。在骨髓中生成后，它们被输出到体内循环，寻找感染的迹象。当它们遇到入侵者时，在其他免疫细胞的帮助下，它们会变成产生抗体的细胞。一小部分细胞被用作记忆细胞，如果将来再次发生同样的感染，这些细胞可以迅速成为产生抗体的细胞。这是疫苗接种的基础。B淋巴细胞的主要功能是将抗体分泌到血清中，这些抗体可以结合并消除体内任何地方的入侵者。这个项目研究B细胞如何转变为产生抗体的细胞。我们将学习这个过程的非常基本和详细的定量方面，例如：一旦B细胞检测到入侵者，它需要多长时间才能成为抗体生产者？它们——它们一定要在变化的时候分裂吗？-来自其他细胞的激素如何调节这一过程？它们是增加分裂、存活、改变B细胞的特性，还是提高B细胞的产量？我们将详细研究所有这些反应，这样我们就可以建立一个模型，准确地预测一组特定情况的结果。我们将研究产生抗体的细胞形成或发挥作用所必需的基因。我们还将研究免疫系统不活跃或过度活跃的动物，以找出产生抗体的过程中哪一部分出了问题。通过将这些动物细胞与我们的模型进行比较，我们或许能够预测问题出在哪里，从而提出补救措施。利用这些信息，我们希望最终能够研究人类体内产生抗体细胞的疾病（如过敏、哮喘、风湿性关节炎和白血病），从而能够确定问题的确切原因，并提出治疗方案。这些信息也可用于改善疫苗接种的结果。

B lymphocytes are the antibody-producing cells of the immune system. After they are made in the bone marrow, they are exported to the body to circulate, searching for signs of infection. When they encounter an invader, they change, with the help of other immune cells, into antibody-producing cells. A small proportion of the cells are set aside as memory cells that can rapidly become antibody-producing cells should the same infection occur again in the future. This is the basis of vaccination. The secretion into serum of antibodies that can bind to and eliminate an invader anywhere in the body is the main function of B lymphocytes. This project studies how a B cell changes into an antibody-producing cell. We will learn very basic and detailed quantitative aspects of the process, such as: -How long does it take to become an antibody-producer once a B cell detects an invader? -Do they-must they divide while they are changing? -How do hormones from other cells regulate the process? Do they increase division, survival, change the properties of the B cells, or improve their output? We will study all these responses in detail, so that we can make a model that can accurately predict the outcome of a particular set of circumstances. We will study the genes that are known to be required for antibody-producing cells to form, or to do their work. We will also study animals whose immune systems are under- or over-active, to find out what part of the antibody-producing process is faulty. We may be able to predict where the problem lies, by comparing these animals cells to our model, and therefore to suggest a remedy. Using this information, we hope eventually to be able to study diseases of antibody producing cells in humans (as occur in allergy, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and leukaemia), to be able to identify the precise cause of the problem, and to suggest a therapy. This information may also be used to improve the outcome of vaccination.