B cells are lymphocytes that play a key role in both the innate and adaptive immune response. The principal functions attributed to B cells is their ability to differentiate into plasma cells that secrete antibodies against antigens, and eventually develop into memory B cells. Long-lived plasma cells (PC) and memory B cells are the cells responsible for maintaining serological memory against childhood vaccines or infections previously met in life. However, as appreciation of the multifunctional nature of the B cells grows, their importance to health and disease is re-evaluated.
An increasing emphasis is being placed on studying the multiple interactions of the microenvironment with differentiating B cells, from the earliest progenitor stage to fully differentiated plasma cells. Microenvironmental “cues” encompass signals from commensal microbiota and stimulatory and survival factors derived from interacting cells. In normal individuals, the pool of peripheral B cells is constant in size.

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