B+cells

= Definition: = The B cell is generated in the red bone marrow of the body. It also undergoes its maturation stage, in which the B cell becomes immunocompetent in the red bone marrow. After becoming immunocompetent, the cell undergoes the antigen challenge, then clonal selection; where the B cell creates identical copies of itself with the occasional creation of a plasma cell. The B cell fights against external threats by producing antibodies against such disease organisms as viruses or bacteria. HGD Chapter 13, p. 339

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= Analogies: = B cells are like the law enforcement agency of the human body. If they detect an abnormal cell, they will tag them and send them through the criminal justice system. In there case, the death penalty is almost always employed through apoptosis which is performed by other cells such as natural killer cells (the electric chair).

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=In the News:= http://7thspace.com/headlines/425144/b_cell_selection_and_the_development_of_autoantibodies.html This talks about how important b cells are to the human body. The b cells play an important in human autoimmunity. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/202677-overview This goes is an over of b cell lymphoma. It talks about Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and how it relates to the b cells.

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