Wenxia Song
| Ph.D. - Kansas
State University, 1991 |
| Associate
Professor |
| Department
of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics |
| University
of Maryland |
| College Park,
MD 20742 |
| Telephone:
(301)-405-7552 |
| Fax:
(301)-314-9489 |
| E-mail: ws98@umail.umd.edu |
| Research Interests: Cellular and Molecular Immunology. |
B lymphocyte is the only cell that is able to secrete antibody. Specific B cells
bind native antigen to the B cell antigen receptor on the cell surface and the
bound antigen is subsequently internalized and delivered to an appropriate subcellular
compartment for processing. Processing involves the conversion of protein antigens
into peptides and the assembly of complexes of the antigenic peptide and Major
Histocompatibility Complex class II molecules. The antigenic peptide-class II
complexes are displayed on the surfaces of B cells for the recognition of helper
T cells. The interaction between B cells and helper T cells activates the T cells
to secrete growth and differentiation factors which activate B cell to become
antibody-secreting cells. Therefore the ability of B cells to process and present
antigen to helper T cells is critical to the activation of antigen specific B
cells and T cells and T cell dependent antibody responses. We are studying the
cellular events and molecular mechanism involved in antigen processing and presentation
using immunological, molecular, and biochemical approaches.
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