Ontogeny of the antibody-forming cell line in mice. II. Maturation of B cells during fetal development.
This paper maps the developmental stage reached by B cells in mouse fetuses of different ages. The "maturity" of these cells was assessed in a functional way by measuring the time taken for cells to generate antibody-forming progeny when injected into carrier-primed irradiated adult hosts and challenged daily with antigen. A steady uninterrupted progression in development of B cells occurred between 13 days of gestation and birth. There was no evidence for a stage during which B cells could only be paralyzed and not induced by antigen.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D013154:Spleen / Q000196:embryology*