Cellular and Molecular Events During Antigen Dependent B cell Differentiation

免疫系统对于保护我们免受病毒和细菌的外部入侵以及癌细胞的内部入侵至关重要。在构成这个系统的白血球中，有一些负责产生抗体的。为了确保所有可能的感染和肿瘤都能被识别出来，人体需要不断地制造大量这样的细胞。这个项目的目的是利用一种新的实验系统来研究负责控制它们的生产和功能的机制。通过精确定位正常宿主中抗体产生的不同阶段，我们应该能够更好地在未来制造更持久的疫苗，并了解这些白细胞在疾病中出了什么问题。特别是，这些结果应该有助于揭示被称为骨髓瘤的慢性白血病以及一些自身免疫性疾病，如风湿病，当产生的抗体攻击我们自己的组织时就会发生这种疾病。

The immune system is essential for protecting us against invasion from without by viruses and bacteria and invasion from within by cancer cells. Among the white blood cells making up this system are those responsible for producing antibodies. To ensure that all possible infections and tumours can be recognised, the body needs to manufacture a very large number of these cells on a continuous basis. The aim of this project is to work out the mechanism responsible for controlling their production and function using a novel experimental system. By pinpointing the different stages involved in antibody production in the normal host we should be in a better position to make longer lasting vaccines in the future and to understand what goes wrong with these white cells in disease. In particular, the results should shed light on the chronic form of leukaemia called myeloma and some of the autoimmune disorders like the rheumatic diseases which occur when the antibodies being produced attack our own tissues.