Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.114, No.1, 487-494, 2010
The Network of Receptors Characterize B Cell Receptor Micro- and Macroclustering in a Monte Carlo Model
During the recognition of Soluble antigens, B cell receptors (BCR) are known to form signaling clusters that call crucially modulate intracellular activation pathways and B cell response. Little is known about the precise nature of receptor Cluster and its formation mechanism for the case Of Soluble antigens. Initial experiments have shown that B cell receptors first microcluster upon ligation with soluble antigens, and then coarsen into a macroscopic cap Structure at one pole of a B cell. Such a mutual receptor-receptor attraction can arise locally due to cross-linking by Soluble antigens among other possibilities. We develop all energy based Monte Carlo model to investigate the mechanism of B-cell receptor Clustering upon ligation with Soluble antigens. Our results show that Mutual attraction between nearest neighbor receptor pairs can lead to microclustering of B cell receptors, but it is not Sufficient for receptor macroclustering. A simple model of biased diffusion where BCR molecules experience I biased directed motion toward the largest Cluster is then applied, which results in I single macrocluster of receptor molecules. The various types of receptor clusters are analyzed using the developed network-based metrics Such Lis the average distance between any pairs of receptors.