Question

The interaction of self-molecules and immature B cells is important in the development of self-tolerance in the B cell lineage: cells with potential reactivity to self are prevented from responding. This can happen in two ways. If an immature B cell is exposed to a self-molecule expressed on the surface of bone marrow cells, it dies by apoptosis. In contrast, if the immature B cell is exposed to a non-cell surface molecule (soluble antigen) in the bone marrow, what does the cell go into?

Apoptosis
Anergy
Latency
Persistence
Tolerance

Answer 1

Immature B cells exposed to soluble self-antigens in the bone marrow become anergic, which means they are rendered functionally inactive as a part of developing self-tolerance in the B cell lineage. Option b.

Step-by-step explanation:

When immature B cells in the bone marrow are exposed to a soluble self-antigen, they enter a state known as clonal anergy. This is an important mechanism in the development of self-tolerance within the B cell lineage.

Unlike the removal of self-reactive B cells through apoptosis, clonal anergy renders the B cell functionally inactive without physically deleting it.

These anergic B cells do not respond upon encountering their specific antigen later, therefore they do not mount an autoimmune response. Option B is correct,