UNASSIGNED: The germinal center (GC) is divided into a @entity23457 zone (DZ) and a light zone (LZ). @entity32891 cells must cycle between these zones to achieve efficient Ab affinity maturation. Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are well characterized for their role in supporting B cell Ag encounter in primary follicles and in the GC LZ. However, the properties of stromal cells supporting B cells in the DZ are relatively unexplored. Recent work identified a novel stromal population of @entity19149 -expressing reticular cells (CRCs) in @entity19 GC DZs. In this article, we report that CRCs have diverse morphologies, appearing in open and closed networks, with variable distribution in lymphoid tissue GCs. CRCs are also present in splenic and peripheral lymph node primary follicles. Real-time two-photon microscopy of Peyer's patch GCs demonstrates B cells moving in close association with @entity14 processes. CRCs are gp38(+) with low to undetectable expression of FDC markers, but @entity14 -like cells in the DZ are lineage marked, along with FDCs and fibroblastic reticular cells, by @entity20305 -Cre- and @entity16761 -Cre-directed fluorescent reporters. In contrast to FDCs, CRCs do not demonstrate dependence on lymphotoxin or TNF for chemokine expression or network morphology. @entity14 distribution in the DZ does require @entity9843 signaling, which is necessary for @entity32891 cells to access the DZ and likely to interact with @entity14 processes. Our findings establish CRCs as a major stromal cell type in the GC DZ and suggest that CRCs support critical activities of @entity32891 cells in the DZ niche through @entity19149 expression and direct cell-cell interactions.

Phenotypic and Morphological Properties of Germinal Center XXXX Zone @entity19149 -Expressing Reticular Cells.

@entity20305 :: ('12902(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['CD21'] @entity23457 :: ('13130(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['dark'] @entity19 :: ('10090', 'Species') :: ['murine'] @entity9843 :: ('12767(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['CXCR4'] @entity32891 :: ('230103(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['GC B'] @entity19149 :: ('20315(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['Cxcl12'] @entity14 :: ('MESH:D015179', 'Disease') :: ['CRC'] @entity16761 :: ('24047(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['Ccl19']
@entity23457 :: (13130(Tax:10090),Gene) :: ['Dark']
