Normal pre-B cells express a receptor complex of mu heavy chains and surrogate light-chain proteins.
Precursors of B cells, which constitute a subpopulation of the lymphocytes in bone marrow, can be identified by their surface expression of nonimmunoglobulin markers and the absence of immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chains. Most pre-B cells synthesize mu heavy chains but, without light-chain partners, these undergo rapid cytoplasmic degradation. In the present study, we demonstrate that late stage pre-B cells, like their neoplastic counterparts, express low levels of a surface receptor composed of mu chains paired with a surrogate light-chain complex formed by Vpre-B and lambda 5-like proteins. The data define a previously suspected but unrecognized stage in normal pre-B-cell differentiation. Expression of a clonally diverse receptor renders this population of immature B-lineage cells potentially vulnerable to clonal selection by antigens and idiotypic interactions.
Nishimoto
N
N
Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Kubagawa
H
H
Ohno
T
T
Gartland
G L
GL
Stankovic
A K
AK
Cooper
M D
MD
D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D005333:Fetus; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis
D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell