I have a question about developing active immunity. Upon recognizing some antigen, B cells are stimulated to divide into either plasma cells or memory cells. My question is how Memory cells are ‘chosen’ for the job. I understand that they’re clones by process, but is there a signal that picks specific ones for the job? Or is it just random chance that just a certain few will be left designated as memory cells?
I don’t exactly know an answer to this. It’s just that I remember that there isn’t a decision in cell fate that early. Meaning first all naive B cells become plasma cells. Only after the inflammation most of the plasma cells die but some of the plasma cells become memory cells. At least that’s what I remember from lessons… But how this decision then is made I don’t know. I’d guess that plasma cells producing Antibodies with extremly strong affinity to the antigen might be selected to be memory cells. Maybe through longterm binding to APCs and simultanous licencing through T helper cells?! But it’s just speculation…
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