Wiggins, Melvin DanielWe each receive vaccinations throughout our lives, which protect us from many pathogens and gives long-term protection through generating a subset of memory lymphocytes. This study explores whether CD23 (Fcε receptor) and high fat diet have roles in regulating memory B cells. CD23 in B cells was examined using CD23 transgenic mice. My data show that, after antigenic stimulation, CD23 co-aggregates with the BCR. The percentages of isotype switched B cells as well as other peripheral B cell subsets in the spleen are not altered in unimmunized CD23 transgenic mice, implicating that CD23 does not have any significant role in the generation of memory B cells. High fat diet with and without high cholesterol led to increased numbers of mature follicular B cells and decreases in transitional B cells in a NPC1L1 independent manner.The marginal zone B cells numbers are increased in the mice fed high fat/high cholesterol diets. This suggests a possible role of high fat/high cholesterol diet in regulating the peripheral development of B cells.ThesisImmunologyCellular biologyB CellCD23Flow CytometryMemoryObesityRegulation