B-lymphocytes in the lung: A topic to be revisited

Humoral immunity is crucial to the immunologic homeostasis of the lung. Alt hough having key roles in the clearance of infectious pathogens, humoral re sponses under certain condition may contribute to pathology in the lung. Th e regulation of local humoral immunity involves a highly complex network of antigen presenting cells, T and B-lymphocytes, as well as many membrane-bo und and soluble signals. This review discusses B-lymphocyte function and im munoglogulin production in general, as well as the regulation and function of humoral immunity as it relates to the lung in health and disease.