The Bcl-2 product is considered to act as an inhibitor of apoptosis. Bcl-2 expression is inhibited in germinal centers where apoptosis forms part of the B cell production pathway. Reactive follicles show no staining for Bcl-2, whereas the cell in neoplastic follicles exhibit membrane staining. Bcl-2 α oncoprotein has been shown to inhibit apoptosis.
