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. 2021 Jun 15;10(6):1508. doi: 10.3390/cells10061508

Figure 2.

Figure 2

The system of support between plasma cells, stromal cells and eosinophils in a BM survival niche. Following a CXCL12 gradient secreted by stromal cells, a plasma cell migrates into the BM and settles into a free survival niche. Integrin interactions such as VCAM1-VLA4 and ICAM1-LFA1 not only maintain positioning but also promote survival. Eosinophils co-localize with the plasma cell by means of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis and VCAM1 binding α4β7. The Eosinophils are subsequently induced to produce plasma cell survival stimulating IL-6 and APRIL via IL-5R, α4β7 and FcR engagement. In contrast to the plasma cell, eosinophils are continuously proliferating and replaced due to their short lifespan. The support between the cells involved is delicately balanced to enable a static-and-dynamic survival niche for the maintenance of the plasma cell. (Created with BioRender.com).