Self-tolerance is established during B cell development but the contribution of clonal deletion, receptor editing, anergy and apoptosis is debated. Here we show that although apoptosis does occur in a high proportion of transitional B cells after exiting the bone marrow, the reactivity of apoptotic B cells does not differ from that of viable cells, which argues against apoptosis as major mechanism to eliminate self-reactive and polyreactive clones.
- Mikala JoAnn Simpson
- Anna Minh Newen
- Christian Thomas Mayer