Theoretical Models of Immune Processes - Immunological Computation: Theory and Applications - page 35

Ag on FDC

Memory or plasma cell

Light zone

FDC

Centrocyte

C ∗ -T

T

C ∗

T

C

C

C

Apoptosis

C

C

Dark zone

B

B 1 B 2

B Centroblast B

B 1

B 0

B

B 1

B

B

B 0

B

B

Figure 2.5 Illustration of different processes in a GC.

(Oprea and Perelson, 1997) assumed that the dark zone of GC is mainly for
proliferation of centroblasts and no selection of centrocytes occurs at this stage.
When the number of centroblasts reaches a certain number, proliferation stops
and selection of centrocytes begins. h e selected centrocytes are used for anti-
gen (Ag) binding with the follicular dendritic cell (FDC) network and thus form