Autophagy is now understood to have an active role in the adaptive immune system, participating in lymphocyte development, differentiation, and memory. In T cells, it is activated during thymocyte development, and following receptor ligation, and is also critical for T cell memory. In B cells, there is again activation of autophagy during development, and whilst it is dispensable for maintenance of the peripheral B2 cell pool, it is required for normal formation of B1 B cells. Autophagy is strongly active in plasma cells, which appear to use it as a mechanism for survival of the metabolic stress associated with immunoglobulin production. Finally, as with T cells, autophagy is necessary for memory B cell maintenance.