Response by B cell precursors to pre-B receptor assembly: differences between fetal liver and bone marrow

Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2000:252:25-30. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-57284-5_3.

Abstract

The expression of different sets of immunoglobulin specificities by fetal and adult B lymphocytes is a longstanding puzzle in immunology. In the past few years it has become clear that production of mu heavy chain and subsequent assembly with surrogate light chain to form the pre-B cell receptor complex is critical to promote development of adult B cell precursors in mouse bone marrow. Recently we found that instead of promoting pre-B cell expansion as in adult bone marrow, this complex inhibits pre-B cell growth in fetal liver, providing a previously unrecognized mechanism for alteration of the B cell repertoire with age. The consequence is very distinct primary repertoires for development of fetal B1 cells and adult bone marrow B2 cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antibody Specificity / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte*
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary / immunology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune System / embryology
  • Immune System / growth & development*
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / genetics
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / embryology*
  • Liver / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / immunology*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Immunoglobulin mu-Chains
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins