Receptor Dissociation and B-Cell Activation

The B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) is one of the most abundant receptors on the surface of B cells with roughly 100,000-200,000 copies per cell. Signaling through the BCR is crucial for the activation and differentiation of B cells. Unlike other receptors, the BCR can be activated by a large set of structurally different ligands, but the molecular mechanism of BCR activation is still a matter of controversy. Although dominant for a long time, the cross-link model (CLM) of BCR activation is not supported by recent studies of the nanoscale organization of the BCR on the surface of resting B cells. In contrast to the prediction of CLM, the numerous BCR complexes on these cells are not randomly distributed monomers but rather form oligomers which reside within membrane confinements. This finding is more in line with the dissociation activation model (DAM), wherein B-cell activation is accompanied by an opening of the auto-inhibited BCR oligomers instead of a cross-linking of the BCR monomers. In this review, we discuss in detail the new findings and their implications for BCR signaling.