title: Generation of long-lived B cells in germ-free mice.
abstract: In the present study we have addressed the question of whether the composition of the peripheral B cell pool is similar in mice raised under conventional, specific pathogen-free or germ-free breeding conditions. For this purpose, the representation of various B lineage subsets was quantitated by flow cytometry and the lifespan of B cells analyzed by labeling dividing cells with the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine in vivo. The results indicate that except for an increased fraction of CD45R (B220)dull B lineage cells in the bone marrow and a marginally faster turnover of splenic B cells in germ-free compared to conventional mice, there is no obvious difference in the representation and turnover of B cells in the different kinds of mice. The data indicate that a stable pool of peripheral B cells is generated even in the absence of microbial stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, FRG.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Förster
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schittek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000276:immunology*; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens