Plasma cells are terminally differentiated B lymphocytes specialized for the high-rate synthesis and secretion of immunoglobulin, constituting the effector arm of humoral immunity. They arise when antigen-activated B cells undergo differentiation, acquiring an expanded endoplasmic reticulum and a characteristic ecce…
Plasma cells are terminally differentiated B lymphocytes specialized for the high-rate synthesis and secretion of immunoglobulin, constituting the effector arm of humoral immunity. They arise when antigen-activated B cells undergo differentiation, acquiring an expanded endoplasmic reticulum and a characteristic eccentric nucleus, and home predominantly to the bone marrow, where long-lived plasma cells sustain durable antibody titers. Each plasma cell produces antibody of a single specificity, and their collective output provides protection against infection; convalescent immune plasma containing neutralizing antibodies has been explored therapeutically. In hematology and oncology, clonal proliferation of plasma cells underlies the spectrum of plasma cell dyscrasias, ranging from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance through extraosseous plasmacytoma to multiple myeloma, in which a malignant clone secretes monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein) and produces skeletal, renal, and hematological complications; rare presentations such as plasma cell pleocytosis may follow transplantation. These disorders overlap mechanistically with related lymphoplasmacytic and B-cell neoplasms, including Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and their diagnosis relies on detection and characterization of monoclonal protein and clonal cells. The journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical and laboratory research on plasma cell disorders and related hematological malignancies, immunoglobulin dynamics, and the cellular biology underlying antibody-mediated immunity and its dysregulation.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 28 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Plasma Cells, linking to each citing work.