Properties of B cells expressing different antibody subclasses
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the functional heterogeneity between memory B cells expressing different immunoglobulin subclasses.
IRAS ID
223463
Contact name
Louisa James
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Antibodies are a type of protein produced by a specialist immune cell called a B cell. Antibodies are important for protection from pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Antibodies can stick to the outer surfaces of pathogens which alerts other cells of the immune system and activates an immune response. Different types of antibodies are produced by B cells, each type is important for different types of immune response. In certain cases, inappropriate antibody responses can cause chronic diseases. This study will compare the properties of B cells that produce different types of antibody. First we plan to optimise the methods required to isolate B cells that express different antibody types. We then plan to examine whether the different groups of B cells develop differently and also whether they have different functional roles. The study will use tonsil samples that are being removed from patients undergoing routine tonsillectomy as part of their normal clinical care.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0664
Date of REC Opinion
9 Nov 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion