Uponencounteringtheantigen(Ag),theimmunesystemcaneitherdevelopaspecificimmuneresponseofenteraspecificstateofunresponsiveness,tolerance.TheresponseofBcellstotheirspecificAgcanbeactivationandproliferation,leadingtotheimmuneresponse,oranergyandactivation-inducedcelldeath(AICD),leadingtotolerance.AICDinBlymphocytesisahighlyregulatedeventinitiatedbycrosslinkingoftheBcellreceptor(BCR).BCRengagementinitiatesseveralsignalingeventssuchasactivationofPLCγ,Ras,andPI3K,whichgenerallyspeaking,leadtosurvival.However,intheabsenceofsurvivalsignals(CD40orIL-4Rengagement),BCRcrosslinkingcanalsopromoteapoptoticsignaltransductionpathwayssuchasactivationofeffectorcaspases,expressionofpro-apoptoticgenes,andinhibitionofpro-survivalgenes.ThecomplexinterplaybetweensurvivalanddeathsignalsdeterminestheBcellfateand,consequently,theimmuneresponse.
