Immunological memory is a cornerstone of the defence against pathogens, ensuring that repeated exposures to an antigen produce faster, more robust responses. Might chronic autoimmune diseases likewise owe their persistence and reactivation to an equivalent cellular memory? In this Review, the authors summarize the current understanding of long-lived autoreactive plasma cells, including how they are generated and where they reside, and explore their implications for the treatment of autoimmune disorders.
- Falk Hiepe
- Thomas Dörner
- Andreas Radbruch
