Research

Genomic Integrity and Immunity Group - Caption

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Photo of longitudinal section of a villus from the jujenum (small intestine) of AID-Cre-YFP transgenic mice.

Longitudinal section of a villus from the jujenum (small intestine) of AID-Cre-YFP transgenic mice. In these animals, B cells recognizing bacterial antigens in the gut form germinal centers in Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes where they express the AID enzyme and become permanently tagged with the yellow fluorescent protein. The progeny of germinal center lymphocytes home to the intestinal villi as plasma cells (green in the picture) and secrete large amounts of IgA, which precludes attachment of bacteria and toxins to the intestinal epithelium. Cell nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue) and F-actin was labeled with phalloidin (red). Image collected by Kristien Zaal on the Leica SP5 Confocal Microscope at the Light Imaging Section.

 

Updated September 17, 2007