Collectively, structural studies of affinity maturation have shown that increased antibody affinity can arise from any one or any combination of multiple diverse mechanisms, including improved shape complementarity at the interface with antigen, increased buried surface area upon complex formation, additional interfacial polar or hydrophobic interactions, and preorganization or rigidification of the antigen-binding site. (Frontier in Immunology)

An understanding of how affinity maturation occurs at multiple stages of the antigen-driven B-cell immune response provides insights into the overall design of B-cell immune responses. (ScienceDirect)

We show how affinity maturation in this lineage has maintained adaptability (“breadth” of neutralizing activity) by generating a branched and, hence, diversifying phylogeny (PNAS)