Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Characterization of Thymus-dependent and Thymus-independent Immunoglobulin Isotype Responses in Mice Using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay
Published on: September 7, 2018
Effects of age on antibody affinity maturation
D K Dunn-Walters1, M Banerjee, R Mehr
1Department of Histopathology/Immunobiology, GKT Medical School, King's College, 3rd Floor, New Guys House, Guys Hospital, London SE1 9RT, U.K. Deborah.dunn-walters@kcl.ac.uk
Aging impairs the immune system, particularly antibody function, in older adults. Research shows the antibody gene mutation process remains intact, suggesting age-related immune decline stems from altered selection or initial cell differences.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gerontology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Elderly individuals exhibit increased susceptibility to infections and reduced vaccine efficacy.
- Age-related immune dysregulation affects humoral immunity, potentially altering antibody affinity and specificity.
- Defects in immunoglobulin gene hypermutation are hypothesized causes of age-related immune decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in the immunoglobulin gene hypermutation mechanism.
- To compare clonal responses within germinal centers of young and old individuals.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of individual clonal responses in spleen and Peyer's patches.
- Comparison of germinal center responses between young and elderly patient groups.
Main Results:
- The fundamental mechanism of immunoglobulin gene hypermutation does not differ with age.
- Observed age-related differences in immune response are attributed to altered selection processes.
- Differences may also arise from changes in the initial pool of founder cells available for activation.
Conclusions:
- Age-related decline in humoral immunity is not due to a defective hypermutation mechanism.
- Altered selection processes or changes in precursor cell populations are likely contributors to impaired immune responses in the elderly.
Related Concept Videos
Humoral Immune Responses
Affinity and Avidity
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

