Figure 3.

The role of B cells in MS. B cells can play a role in autoimmune disease by different mechanisms which are depicted here: they can secrete potentially pathogenic antibodies, but also their function in cellular immune mechanisms are of importance, either by secreting proinflammatory cytokines and thereby influencing other immune cells or by acting as antigen-presenting cells. After B cells have encountered their specific antigen, they process it, present it on MHC and can become activated. As they are able to expand clonally, they are then capable to activate a big number of T cells.