The mechanics and wiring of B cell immunity

The mechanics and wiring of B cell immunity

Speaker: Dr Pavel Tolar, Immune Receptor Activation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute

Host: Susan Cox

Abstract: The generation of protective antibodies depends on the activation of B cells by encounters with foreign antigens. The research of the Tolar lab is focused on the cell signalling and intracellular trafficking pathways that regulate this process. Our findings showed that the binding of antigens to the B cell antigen receptor is influenced by cellular mechanics occurring in lymphoid tissues. The cell mechanics is particularly important for B cell antigen uptake and presentation to helper T cells and promotes affinity maturation of the antibody response. I will discuss new results on the mechanisms of B cell antigen uptake and signalling attained from high-throughput imaging and whole-genome screens in vitro as well as from rapid genetic targeting in vivo. These experiments yield molecular insight into normal and pathological roles of B cells in immune responses at an unprecedented scale.