Question

Which of the following is or appears to be controlled by Blimp-1 during plasma cell differentiation?

A. Exit from the cell cycle
B. Transitioning from membrane-bound to secreted IgM
C. Loss of MHC class II from the cell surface
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

Answer 1

Blimp-1 controls various aspects during plasma cell differentiation, including exit from the cell cycle, transition from membrane-bound to secreted IgM, and loss of MHC class II from the cell surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

The protein Blimp-1 is crucial during the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells. This transcriptional repressor is responsible for multiple changes in the B cell as it prepares to become a plasma cell dedicated to antibody production. The effects of Blimp-1 during this differentiation process include A. Exit from the cell cycle, an essential step as the B cell ceases to divide and focuses on antibody production. Furthermore, Blimp-1 is involved in B. Transitioning from membrane-bound to secreted IgM, which is a part of the process whereby plasma cells shift their immunoglobulin production mode. Lastly, Blimp-1 mediates the C. Loss of MHC class II from the cell surface, helping to relegate the plasma cell's role to solely produce antibodies rather than present antigens. Thus, the answer to the question is D. All of the above.