Expanding the role of Peyer's patches in B-cell ontogeny

Peyers patches (PPs) play a critical role in the induction and dissemination of immune responses at mucosal surfaces. However, increasing evidence shows that, in some species, they are also a major site for the production of the systemic B-cell pool and for the generation of the primary immunoglobulin repertoire. Here, Philip Griebel and Wayne Hein compare the structural, functional and developmental heterogeneity of PPs in different species.