Decoding the Spectrum of Plasma Cell Heterogeneity: Insights into Maturity and Longevity

Plasma cells (PCs) are the terminal differentiation stage of activated B cells and serve as crucial effector cells in humoral immunity. While PCs have traditionally been viewed as homogenous antibody-secreting entities, recent studies have unveiled a complex landscape of heterogeneity in their characteristics, maturation processes, and longevity. Particularly fascinating is the long-term survival of long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs), which play a significant role in sustaining immune protection by secreting antibodies long after an initial infection has ceased or a vaccination has been administered. The variability in phenotype, function, and lifespan of PCs underscores their critical role in the effectiveness and persistence of immune responses.

This Research Topic aims to collate cutting-edge research that sheds light on the heterogeneity of PCs in both healthy and diseased states. We seek to advance our understanding of how different PCs' subsets, maturation stages, and life spans can inform more effective vaccination strategies and therapeutic approaches for autoimmune diseases and plasma cell malignancies.

To gather further insights in this burgeoning field, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Molecular and functional diversity of plasma cells, including identification of subsets using gene expression profiling, surface markers, and Ig secretory capabilities.
- Elucidation of plasma cell maturation processes and the influence of microenvironmental cues from various niches like bone marrow and lymph nodes.
- Investigation into the factors determining plasma cell longevity, from metabolic adaptations to apoptotic resistance.
- Clinical implications of plasma cell heterogeneity, including their role in vaccine responses, efficacy, and immune durability.
- Advanced methodologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, flow and mass cytometry, epigenetic profiling, as well as in vivo and in vitro models to explore plasma cell dynamics.

In addition, this Topic will serve as a platform to discuss advanced methodologies including but not limited to single-cell RNA sequencing, mass cytometry, epigenetic profiling, and longitudinal human studies. These methods provide deep insights into PC biology across different settings, nurturing further research and application in medical science.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Plasma cells, Heterogeneity, Long-lived plasma cells, LLPCs, Immunity, Vaccination strategies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.