Heterogeneity in antiviral B cell responses: Lessons from the movies

Humoral and cellular responses to viral infections coexist in a dynamic equilibrium that often results in efficient viral clearance. However, in some infections one of the two responses prevails, for instance when an overactivation of cytotoxic T cells is accompanied by weak and insufficient antibody responses. Although the cellular response is usually sufficient to control a primary viral infection, in some cases clearance is not complete and persistent infections ensue. In order to design effective therapeutic or vaccination strategies aiming at inducing early and potent neutralizing antibody responses, a deep knowledge of the cellular and molecular determinants of antiviral immune responses is needed. Here, we review our understanding on the spatiotemporal dynamics of antiviral humoral immune responses, with a particular focus on recent studies using intravital imaging approaches as an insightful complement to more traditional techniques.