Final answer:
The answer is true; specificity is maintained within a group of B cell clones due to clonal selection and expansion, where only B cells with proper antigen specificity are chosen and multiplied, resulting in plasma cells and memory B cells with identical antigenic specificity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to whether specificity is maintained within a group of B cell clones that are descendants from a single progenitor. The answer to the student's query is true. Clonal selection and expansion ensure that only B cells with the appropriate antigen specificity are selected for and expanded. As a result, plasma cells secrete antibodies with antigenic specificity identical to the antigen receptors on the surfaces of the original B cells. Moreover, memory B cells, which are also generated, can lead to the differentiation of more plasma cells and memory B cells during subsequent encounters with the same antigen.
B cells differentiate in the bone marrow, giving rise to a diversity of clones, each with a specific antigen receptor. These clones are selected and expanded when their receptors are activated by an antigen. This process maintains the specificity of the immune response, as each clone has receptors specific for a particular antigen. Clonal expansion accompanies clonal selection, and together they guarantee a sufficient number of specific lymphocytes ready to combat an infection.