Once a B cell has been activated by a specific antigen, it will divide, making many copies of itself. This process is known as:

The process through which a B cell, once activated by a specific antigen, divides and creates many copies of itself is referred to as clonal selection. This term describes how B cells are selected for activation based on their ability to bind to particular antigens. After selection, these B cells proliferate, resulting in a clone of cells that all possess the same specific receptors for that antigen. This is crucial for a robust immune response, as it ensures that a large number of B cells are available to produce antibodies against the intruder.

Affinity maturation, on the other hand, relates to the process of increasing the affinity of the antibodies produced by B cells for their specific antigen over time, typically occurring in germinal centers after the initial clonal expansion. Cellular differentiation involves the process by which B cells develop into different types of cells, such as plasma cells or memory B cells, but the initial process of creating multiple identical cells is specifically termed clonal selection. Proliferation, while associated with the division of the B cells, does not capture the selective aspect of their activation by a specific antigen, which is central to the concept of clonal selection.