B LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN MOUSE SPLEEN - STUDY OF DIFFERENTIATION PATHWAY USING FREE FLOW ELECTROPHORETICALLY SEPARATED SUBPOPULATIONS OF DIRECT PFC PROGENITOR CELLS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (6) , 863-880
Abstract
Free-flow electrophoretic separation of mouse spleen cells provides 3 distinct progenitor cells of direct PFC [plaque-forming cells], showing high, medium and low electrophoretic mobility [EPM]. All progenitor cells possess surface immunoglobulin and mouse B[bone marrow-derived]-lymphocyte specific antigen. The progenitor cells of high electrophoretic mobility show high cycling turnover, a spleen seeking capacity of 16%, provide PFC with a maximum 8 days after transfer, and reveal an isometrical increase of the PFC dose response line as a function of the graft size. The progenitor cells of medium EPM are low cycling, 16% home to the spleen, a maximum number of PFC are developed 8 days after transfer, and the PFC dose response line increases allometrically. The progenitor cells of low EPM show low cycling activity, 20% home to the spleen, a maximum of PFC is attained 6 days after transfer, and the PFC dose response line rises isometrically. The electrokinetically different PFC progenitors apparently represent biologically distinct subsets. In double transfer experiments, some evidence was obtained that progenitor cells of low EPM are derived from progenitors of higher EPM. The same observation also accounts for the formation of B lymphocytes of low EPM. Since it seemed likely that the PFC progenitor cells represent virgin cells of a single lineage, the results were discussed in terms of differentiation pathways of B lymphocytes. A model is considered in which a progenitor of medium EPM provides those of high EPM which after passing a transient cycling stage finally produce mature resting B lymphocytes of low EPM.

This publication has 33 references indexed in Scilit: