title: The T cell dependence of B cell differentiation induced by pokeweed mitogen.
abstract: The in vitro plasma cell response of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes to PWM was found to be dependent on the presence of T lymphocytes. B lymphocytes cultured alone with PWM did not respond with proliferation or differentiation into plasma cells. When T lymphocytes were added back to B lymphocytes before culture, the number of plasma cells of the IgM, IgG and IgA classes formed increased in proportion to the number of T lymphocytes returned. Allogeneic T lymphocytes from either peripheral blood or adult thymus could effectively substitute for autologous T lymphocytes. By comparing responses of B lymphocytes cultured with equal numbers of autologous or allogeneic T cells, it was found that the considerable variation in the magnitude of the plasma cell response from different normal donors was related to a quality of their T cells; T cells from high responders substantially enhanced plasma cell differentiation of B cells from low responders and vice versa. This T cell "helper function" was irradiation-resistant and was a property of thymocytes as well as peripheral T cells.
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins