Mechanisms of selection and differentiation in germinal centers

The choice between death and survival, a feature of early B cell development, is a choice also faced by mature B cells. If they survive this early developmental decision, mature B cells then face a second choice: either to undergo either terminal differentiation into plasma cells or to differentiate into memory B cells. Antigens, T cell signals (cytokines, CD40 ligand and Fas ligand) as well as the activation state of B cells determine their ultimate fate.