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Glite Dictionary
B lymphocyte

B lymphocyte

1 5.7
A white blood cell from bone marrow that makes antibodies to fight infection
  • noun
  • /biː ˈlɪm.fə.saɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : linfocito B
  • Immunohistochemistry of both tumors revealed a mixed population of CD20-positive B lymphocytes and CD3-positive T lymphocytes.

Examples

  • When the body detects a virus, B lymphocytes quickly multiply and generate specific antibodies.

  • The immunologic theory is supported by the findings of a predominance of B lymphocytes in a pattern that is similar to that seen in reactive hyperplasia.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The B lymphocyte plays a crucial role in the immune response by producing antibodies to fight infections.

  • In vaccinated individuals, B lymphocytes remember the pathogen and react faster upon re-exposure.

Synonyms

B cell
vsB lymphocyte
  • Specialized
5 4.3

A white blood cell that makes antibodies to fight infections

is the more formal scientific name for the same cell type

Surface Forms

B lymphocyte singular
B lymphocytes plural

Morphology

B + lymphocyte

Knowing 'lymphocyte' (a white blood cell) lets a learner infer that a 'B lymphocyte' is a subtype of lymphocyte, so the compositional class relation is clear. However, the specific functional meaning ('produces antibodies') is technical and not deducible from the marker 'B' (which could be misread as a blood group or an arbitrary label), so the expression is only partially predictable without specialized knowledge.

Etymology

B lymphocyte gets its name from where scientists first found these cells in birds: the 'bursa of Fabricius', a small pouch near the tail. Scientists called them B cells for the 'bursa', and the name stuck, so today B lymphocyte means a white blood cell that makes antibodies to fight infection.