False-colour transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a human plasmocyte. Plasmocytes are mature B-lymphocytes (white blood cells) that synthesize &

---

False-colour transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a human plasmocyte. Plasmocytes are mature B-lymphocytes (white blood cells) that synthesize & secrete the antibodies of the immune system. Characteristic of a plasma cell is the parallel array of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, (red, at left), the cisternae (elements) of which become dilated with antibodies (immunoglobulins). Antibodies produced by a single plasma cell are of one specificity and immunoglobulin class. Another typical feature is the quantity of heterochromatin (red) which adheres to the inner nuclear membrane x2,800 at 35mm size.

---

Size: 4931px × 3399px
Photo credit: © CNRI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -lymphocyte, anatomy, antibody, blood, body, cell, cells, endoplasmic, false-coloured, heterochromatin, human, immune, mature, plasma, plasmocyte, production, reticulum, rough, site, white