Aging, B lymphopoiesis, and patterns of leukemogenesis

The production of B lymphocytes begins to decline steadily early in adult life and is severely compromised in the elderly. This occurrence has been attributed to intrinsic defects in early hematopoietic progenitors and B cell precursors as well as to microenvironmental changes in aged bone marrow. The aim of this review is to present an overview of B lymphocyte senescence and its underlying causes and to discuss its impact on immune function and leukemogenesis in aged individuals. (C) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.