Lymphocytes develop from a common lymphoid progenitor cell. B cells mature primarily in the bone marrow, whereas T cells mature in the thymus. Although the process and signals of maturation differ between the 2 cell types, they rely on similar genetic events to generate specific antibodies or cell surface receptors. These gene rearrangements are critical for the development of a broad immune repertoire and also provide molecular markers of clonality that can be used to diagnose lymphoid malignancies.

B-cell maturation consists of early (antigen-independent) and late (antigen-dependent) stages. Early development is initiated by the rearrangement of genes for the heavy . . . [Full Text of this Article]