Gonadal steroids and humoral immunity

Advances in understanding of B-lymphocyte maturation and immune tolerance are yielding new insight into the influence of gonadal steroids on the humoral immune system. Kovacs and colleagues examine how oestrogens and androgens directly and indirectly modulate B-lymphocyte development and function, focusing on B lymphopoiesis, elimination of autoreactive B-cell clones, and generation of high-affinity, class-switched, immunoglobulin-producing B cells.