Plasma cells (also called plasma B cells or plasmocytes) are cells of the
immune system that secrete large amounts of
antibodies. They differentiate from
B cells upon stimulation by
CD4+ lymphocytes. The B cell acts as an
antigen presenting cell (APC), consuming an offending
pathogen. That pathogen gets taken up by the B cell by receptor mediated endocytosis, and broken down within these endosomes after fusion with
lysosomes releasing proteolytic enzymes onto the pathogen. Once the enzymes break down the pathogen, pieces of the pathogen (which are now known as antigenic peptides) are loaded onto
MHC II molecules, and presented on its extracellular surface. Once on the extracellular surface, the CD4+ T-helper lymphocyte will bind to the MHC II/Antigen molecule and cause activation of the B cell, which includes differentiation into a plasma cell, and subsequent generation of antibody against the consumed pathogen.
See more at Wikipedia.org...
Free Download Now!
