B-CELL ACTIVATION, TOLERANCE AND ANTIGEN-PRESENTING FUNCTION

Recent advances in the understanding of the collaboration between T ce lls and B cells have provided a novel framework within which to analys e the mechanisms of B-cell tolerance and its breakdown. Of particular interest has been the finding that B cell anergy is due to defective a ntigen receptor mediated functions, while the antigen-processing machi nery and CD40-dependent activation pathways are unaffected. Thus, the anergic B cell, which otherwise has a short lifespan, can be rescued b y a number of regimes to participate in autoimmune responses.