Researchers find a previously unknown way to selectively activate B cells

B cells produce antibodies against pathogens. Such an immune response can also be triggered by contact with materials that have a specific surface structure. This was discovered by researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Humboldt University of Berlin, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). The findings expand the understanding of how immune cells perceive their environment and open up new possibilities for immunotherapies and biomaterials. The study was recently published in the journal Advanced Science.