Fig. 4
From: The immunology of B-1 cells: from development to aging
Age-related alterations in B-1 cells and NAbs. The number of B-1 cells in body cavities increases after birth until it peaks in the young adult and is kept until old age. However, tissue specific signals select B-1 cells expressing characteristic BCRs which culminate in the reduction in the diversity of B-1 cells. Although the B-1 cell population is maintained via self-renewal, B-1 cells can be generated de novo by adult BM-derived HSC, which now express TdT. This result in BCRs with more N-additions and more mutations. This, together with reduced hydrophobicity in the CDR-H3 loop, decreases the functionality of NAbs in the elderly, increasing the susceptibility to chronic diseases. The green shades indicate the general age-related alterations. The red shades indicate the age-related alterations in female mice