Germinal center
Germinal center
Germinal center (pronunciation: jərˈminl ˈsentər) is a specialized area within secondary lymphoid organs - such as lymph nodes and the spleen - where mature B cells proliferate, differentiate, and mutate their antibody genes (through somatic hypermutation) when stimulated by T cells following antigen recognition.
Etymology
The term "germinal center" is derived from the Latin word "germen", meaning "sprout" or "offshoot", and the Latin word "centrum", meaning "center". This is in reference to the role of the germinal center as a site for the proliferation and differentiation of B cells.
Related Terms
- B cells: A type of white blood cell that matures in the bone marrow and is involved in the immune response by producing antibodies to identify and neutralize foreign substances.
- T cells: A type of white blood cell that matures in the thymus and plays a central role in the immune response.
- Antigen: A substance that induces an immune response, especially the production of antibodies.
- Somatic hypermutation: A process that contributes to the diversity of B cell receptors for antigens, allowing the immune system to respond to a wide range of pathogens.
- Lymph nodes: Small, bean-shaped organs that produce and store cells that fight infection and disease.
- Spleen: An organ that filters and stores blood, produces white blood cells, and removes old or damaged red blood cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Germinal center
- Wikipedia's article - Germinal center
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski