Germinal centres seen through the mathematical eye: B-cell models on the catwalk

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Michael Meyer-Hermann ; Marc Thilo Figge ; Kai-Michael Toellner
• 刊名：Trends in Immunology
• 出版年：2009
• 出版时间：April 2009
• 年：2009
• 卷：30
• 期：4
• 页码：157-164
• 全文大小：650 K

文摘

Germinal centres are receiving renewed attention following recent intravital multi-photon imaging studies. These data have shed new light on longstanding questions about the spatial organisation of germinal centres, B-cell migration, selection and differentiation. Mathematical models have proven invaluable in the analysis of intravital motility data, and have predicted novel B-cell selection mechanisms that are now supported by experimental findings. We argue that mathematical modelling adds a different vantage point to experimental data and provides a quantitative and systematic analysis of hypotheses and theories in immunology. Furthermore, the well-characterised nature of the germinal centre provides an excellent proving ground for mathematical modelling.