DEVELOPMENT OF B-LYMPHOCYTE COLONY-FORMING CELLS IN FETAL MOUSE TISSUES

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30  (6) , 907-914
Abstract
In CBA and (CBA .times. C57Bl)F1 mice, cells forming bone marrow derived (B) lymphocyte colonies in agar culture were 1st detected in the 17-day fetal liver and the following day in the spleen, bone marrow and peripheral blood. Colony-forming cells were not detected in the yolk sac or fetal thymus. Adult levels of colony-forming cells were achieved within 3 days of birth. In organ cultures of 15-day fetal liver or spleen, B-lymphocyte colony-forming cells developed during a 5-day incubation period, indicating that both organs can function as bursal analogues. Fetal liver colony-forming cells were of small size and generated colonies of cells with a pattern of membrane immunoglobulin similar to colony cells generated by cells from adult animals.