B Cell Development and Differentiation Markers

See all B Cell Development and Differentiation Markers Products

B cells are an integral part of the humoral immune response due to their ability to produce antibodies against foreign antigens. They originate from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow, where they undergo several phases of antigen-independent development, leading to the generation of immature B cells. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement during these early stages of B cell development results in the expression of a mature B cell receptor (BCR) that is capable of binding to antigen. This is followed by positive and negative selection processes, which are designed to eliminate non-functional and self-reactive immature B cells. Surviving B cells complete antigen-independent maturation in the spleen, producing immunocompetent naïve mature B cells, which subsequently develop into either follicular or marginal zone B cells. During the antigen-dependent phase of development, follicular B cells participate in germinal center reactions, where they differentiate into memory B cells or long-lived, antibody-secreting plasma cells. Defects in these developmental processes, selection, or B cell function have been linked with immunodeficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

Cell Surface & Intracellular Markers Expressed at Different Stages of B Cell Development

Cell Type

Human Markers

Mouse Markers

Common Lymphoid Progenitor

CD10/Neprilysin^⁺ CD34⁺ Pax5⁺

Lin^– CD117/c-kit^– Sca-1/Ly6^– Ly6D^– IL-7 Rα⁺ Flt-3/Flk-2⁺

B Lymphocyte Progenitor

CD10/Neprilysin⁺ CD34⁺ Pax5⁺

Lin^– CD117/c-kit^– Sca-1/Ly6^– Ly6D⁺ IL-7 Rα⁺ Flt-3/Flk-2⁺

Mouse B1 Progenitor

Lin^– B220/CD45 R^low CD19⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺

Mouse B2 Progenitor

Lin^– B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19^– C1q R1/CD93^–

Pre-Pro B Cell

CD117/c-kit^low CD10/Neprilysin⁺ CD34⁺ CD38⁺ Pax5⁺

Lin^– B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19^– CD24^low CD43⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ CD117/c-kit^– CXCR4⁺ Flt-3/Flk-2⁺ IL-7 Rα⁺ IgM^–

Pro-B Cell

CD117/c-kit^low CD10/Neprilysin⁺ CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD24⁺ CD34⁺ CD38⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ IL-3 R⁺ IL-7 Rα⁺ Pax5⁺

Lin^– B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD24⁺ CD43⁺ CD117/c-kit^low IL-7 Rα⁺ IgM^–

Pre-B Cell

CD117/c-kit^– CD10/Neprilysin⁺ CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD24⁺ CD34^– CD38⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ IL-3 R⁺ IL-4 Rα⁺ IL-7 Rα⁺ Pax5⁺

Lin^– B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD24⁺ CD43^– IL-7 Rα⁺ IgM^–

Immature B Cell

CD117/c-kit^– CD10/Neprilysin⁺ CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD21⁺ CD24⁺ CD27^– CD38⁺ CD40⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ IL-4 Rα⁺ IL-7 Rα^–

B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD23/Fcε RII ^– CD24⁺ CD43^– C1q R1/CD93⁺ IgD^– IgM⁺

B1a Cell

CD1d^mid CD5⁺ CD19^high CD23/Fcε RII ^– CD43⁺

B1b Cell

CD1d^{^mid} CD5^– CD19^high CD23/Fcε RII ^– CD43⁺

Transitional B Cell

CD10/Neprilysin^low CD5⁺ CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD21⁺ CD23/Fcε RII ⁺ CD24⁺ CD27^– CD38⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ TACI⁺

T1: B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD24⁺ CD43^– C1q R1/CD93⁺ IgM⁺ IgD^low

T2: B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD24⁺ CD43^– C1q R1/CD93⁺ IgM⁺ IgD⁺

Marginal Zone B Cell

CD1c⁺ CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD21⁺ CD27⁺ FCRL3/FcRH3⁺ TACI⁺

B220/CD45 R⁺ CD1d⁺ CD19^mid CD21^high CD23/Fcε RII ^– CD43^– C1q R1/
CD93^– IgM^high IgD^low

Follicular B Cell

CD10/Neprilysin^– CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD21⁺ CD22/Siglec-2⁺ CD23/Fcε RII ⁺ CD24^low CD27^– CD38^low CXCR5⁺ TACI⁺ MHC class II⁺

B220/CD45 R⁺ CD1d^mid CD19^mid CD21^low CD23/Fcε RII ⁺ CD43^– CXCR5⁺
IgM^low IgD^high

Activated Germinal Center B Cell

CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD27⁺ CD38⁺ CD40⁺ CD83⁺ TACI⁺ MHC class II⁺

B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD40⁺ MHC class II⁺

Memory B Cell

CD19⁺ CD20/MS4A1⁺ CD21⁺ CD27^mid/⁺ C1q R1/CD93^– TACI⁺

B220/CD45 R⁺ CD19⁺ CD21⁺ CD27^mid/⁺ CD40⁺ MHC class II⁺

Plasmablast

BCMA⁺ CD19^low CD27^high CD38⁺ C1q R1/CD93⁺ Syndecan-1/CD138^–/^low

B220/CD45 R^low CD19⁺ CD27^high CD38⁺ Syndecan-1/CD138⁺

Plasma Cell

BCMA⁺ BLIMP1⁺ CD19^low CD20/MS4A1^–/^low CD27^high CD38^high Syndecan-1/ CD138⁺ CXCR4⁺ MHC class II^low

B220/CD45 R^low BLIMP1⁺ CD19^– CD27^high, CD38^low CXCR4^high Syndecan-1/CD138⁺ MHC class II^–/^low

Regulatory B Cell

CD1d⁺ CD5⁺ CD19⁺ CD21⁺ CD24⁺ IL-10⁺ IL-35⁺ TGF-β⁺

CD1d⁺ CD5⁺ CD19⁺ CD23/Fcε RII ^–/^low CD24⁺ C1q R1/CD93^–/^low TIM-1⁺ IL-10⁺ IL-35⁺ TGF-β⁺

Note: Lin– for Mouse CLP, BLP, B1 and B2 Progenitor cells: CD3– CD4– CD8– Gr-1/Ly-6G– Integrin aM/CD11b– TER-119– Lin– for Mouse Pre-Pro B, Pro-B, Pre-B cells: CD3– Gr-1/Ly- 6G– Integrin αM/CD11b– TER-119–