ABSTRACT
Immunoglobulin synthesis is the defining property of B-lymphocytes and plasma cells. Resting B-lymphocytes synthesize only small amounts of immunoglobulins (Igs) that mainly become inserted into the cell membrane. Plasma cells, considered as end-stage cells arrested at the late G1 phase with very limited mitotic activity, are specialized to produce and secrete large amounts of Igs. The synthetic capacity of the plasma cell is reflected by its abundant cytoplasm, extremely rich in endoplasmic reticulum (Fig. 1).
