The germinal center (GC) is the engine room of the humoral immune response, driving the evolution of B cells into memory and long-lived plasma cells that can protect against (re)infection. Understanding GC biology remains a key research focus for promoting lifelong health. In this annual update, we highlight several influential studies on GC biology published in 2025 (Fig. 1). Space constraints prevent us from discussing in depth all published work.
Keywords: B lymphocytes; T follicular helper cells; T cells; germinal center.
© 2026 The Author(s). Immunology & Cell Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology, Inc.