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COVER PICTURE: Antigen localization to germinal centers depends on complement receptor (CD21/CD35)-bearing stroma. To determine the requirement of antigen retention via CD21/CD35 on follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) in long-term memory, primed B lymphocytes were adoptively transferred into wild-type and CD21/CD35-deficient recipient mice. Immunization of mice with specific antigen 16 wk after cell transfer revealed impaired memory responses in chimeras lacking CD21/CD35 on FDCs. Shown are images of splenic cryosections using confocal microscopy demonstrating antigen (red) localized to germinal centers in wild-type (left panel, indicated by arrow) recipients but not in recipients lacking CD21/CD35-bearing FDCs (right panel). Anti-IgM (blue) and PNA (green) staining was included to delineate B lymphocyte zones and germinal centers, respectively. Colocalized IgM, PNA, and antigen are detected in white, whereas pink indicates colocalization of IgM and antigen. See Barrington et al., p. 1189.
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