Molecular structure and immunological function of human B cell differentiation factor (BSF2)

Extensive studies have been done on the factors responsible for the regulation of growth and differentiation of B lymphocytes and the involvement of several distinct factors in the process has been demonstrated (see review 1,2). These factors can be categorized into three groups; i) factors responsible for the activation of resting B cells, ii) factors for the growth and differentiation of activated B cells and iii) factors for the final differentiation of B cells into high-rate Ig-secreting cells. On the basis of the studies done by several investigators, I proposed the three signal model for the differentiation of B cells into antibody secreting cells in a previous review (2); i) anti-Ig or antigen together with BSF1 (IL-4) activate resting B cells at Go stage into G 1 phase, ii) activated B cells become responsive to BCGFII which induces proliferation and Ig secretion in activated B cells and iii) BSF2 (BCDF) induces final maturation of B cells into high-rate Ig secreting cells (Fig.1). These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.