Dissecting affinity maturation: a model explaining selection of antibody-forming cells and memory B cells in the germinal centre

Until recently, the relationship between apoptosis, selection in the germinal centre (GC) and production of high-affinity antibody-forming cells (AFCs) and memory B cells has been unclear. Here, Tarlinton and Smith present a model that accounts for the switch in GC production from high-affinity AFCs to memory B cells, and explain how Bcl-2, an inhibitor of apoptosis, can influence memory cells but not bone marrow AFCs.