Influence of transient B cell depletion on recirculating B cells and plasma cells in rheumatoid arthritis [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Arumugam Palanichamy

INFLUENCE OF TRANSIENT B CELL DEPLETION ON RECIRCULATING B CELLS AND PLASMA CELLS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Dissertation zur Erlangung des naturwissenschaftlichen Doktorgrades der Bayerischen Julius-Maximilians- Universität Würzburg Vorgelegt von Arumugam Palanichamy Tirunelveli, Indien Würzburg, 2007 Eingereicht am: 30 July 2007 Mitglieder der Promotionskommission: Vorsitzender: Prof. Dr. Martin. J. Müller Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Tony Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Jörg Hacker Tag des Promotionskolloquims: Doktorurkunde ausgehändigt am: Contents 1 Introduction........................................................................................... 11.1 B cell developmental stages ...................................................................................... 1 1.2 Affinity maturation of B cells.................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Somatic hypermutation of Ig genes........................................................................... 31.2.2 Gene conversion ........................................................................................................ 61.2.3 Class-switch recombination (CSR) 61.2.4 Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) - a regulator of B cell affinity maturation..........................................................................