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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Mar 25.
Published in final edited form as: Eur Neurol. 2015 Mar 25;73(0):238–246. doi: 10.1159/000377675

Figure 2. B cells provide an immunologically active axis between the periphery and CNS.

Figure 2

Naïve B cells emerge from the bone marrow (1) and undergo initial antigen-training and affinity maturation in peripheral germinal centers (GC). Memory B cells arising from GCs can be further stimulated in peripheral lymphoid tissues and/or migrate to the CNS compartment (2) where they participate in, and establish immunologically active sites in MS lesions (A) and pial meningeal tissues (B). An immunological continuum and “circulation” (3) of antigen-experienced B cells also involves the CSF compartment represented by schematic lateral ventricles in blue (C). Clonal and clonally related B cell receptors suggesting ongoing antigen-stimulation can be detected in all three CNS-sites (i.e. lesions, meninges, CSF) and in the periphery, suggesting MS disease-driving immunity to be active on both sides of the blood-brain barrier. The CSF (C) also contains OCB in the majority of MS patients, another sign of antigen-driven stimulation of B cells to differentiate into antibody producing plasmablasts or plasma cells. B cells are in blue shades, T cells in green shades. See text for details.