Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
10:26
In Vitro Differentiation Model of Human Normal Memory B Cells to Long-lived Plasma Cells
Published on: January 20, 2019
Infant B cell memory differentiation and early gut bacterial colonization.
Anna-Carin Lundell1, Viktor Björnsson, Annika Ljung
1Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. carin.lundell@rheuma.gu.se
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|April 12, 2012
Summary
Early gut bacteria, including Escherichia coli and bifidobacteria, may influence B cell maturation in infants. This study links specific gut microbiota to the development of memory B cells during the first three years of life.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Germ-free animal models show gut bacteria drive B cell development.
- The impact of specific early-life gut bacteria on human B cell maturation is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between early-life gut bacterial colonization and B cell subset development in Swedish infants.
- To determine if specific bacterial species influence B cell differentiation and memory marker expression.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 65 Swedish newborns followed for 3 years.
- Flow cytometry used to analyze B cell populations (CD20+, CD5+, CD27+) in blood samples.
- Quantitative fecal culture to identify major bacterial species at multiple time points.
Main Results:
- B cell numbers (CD20+, CD5+CD20+) peaked at 4 months; memory B cells (CD20+CD27+) peaked at 18 and 36 months.
- Early colonization with Escherichia coli and bifidobacteria correlated with higher CD20+CD27+ B cells at 4 and 18 months.
- No association found between bacterial patterns and CD20+ or CD5+CD20+ B cell counts.
Conclusions:
- Early gut microbiota composition, particularly E. coli and bifidobacteria, may promote human B cell maturation.
- Gut bacterial colonization patterns appear to influence the development of memory B cells in early childhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
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...
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...
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota
The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
01:24B Cell Activation and Differentiation
The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
01:23Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...