The Clonal Differentiation of Antibody-Producing Cells

Abstract

Although there are many gaps in our understanding of the differentiation of antibody-producing cells, I believe that it is now possible to define some of the critical steps in the path and evaluate these quantitatively. For this purpose I am proposing a schematic outline for lymphocyte differentiation as I understand it at present. Briefly this scheme can be summarized as follows: the differentiation of antibody-producing cells consists of a series of irreversible steps on the part of stem cells which arise in the bone marrow and undergo a series of divisions and differentiative steps while becoming lymphocytes. At some point the lymphocyte acquires a unique ability to recognize an antigen, and after further divisions it arrives at a terminal state called a plasma cell, whose function is the secretion of specific antibody molecules. Presumptive life cycles involved in the differentiation of a single bone-marrow stem cell and its progeny during...