title: Lymphoid and erythroid repopulation in B6 W-anemic mice: a new unirradiated recipient.
abstract: The W-anemic family of mouse mutants is an important model for studying repopulation in unirradiated recipients. This is the first study of blood lymphoid cell repopulation in adult W-anemic mutants given high doses of marrow cells, and it shows a wide difference in repopulation rates of circulating lymphoid and erythroid cells. This study also offers an improved model for marrow transplantation, using W alleles that are spontaneous mutations on the widely used inbred strain C57BL/6J (B6). Unirradiated B6-W41J/W41J or -W41J/W39J recipients of 2 x 10(6) B6 marrow cells are completely repopulated with donor erythrocytes after 3 months, whereas complete repopulation of lymphocytes requires a year. Surprisingly, the eventual degree of repopulation is independent of the severity of the mutation. The new mutants are not as anemic as the commonly used WBB6F1-W/Wv anemic mutants, they have a much higher ability to form macroscopic spleen colonies (spleen colony-forming units, CFU-S), and B6-W41J/W41J mice are fertile. Nevertheless, lymphoid and erythroid repopulation occur to a similar extent in B6-W41J/W41J or -W41J/W39J and in WBB6F1-W/Wv anemic mutants. Repopulation is more rapid in the latter, but host cells may be damaged by B6 reactions against the WB parent. Avoiding graft-versus-host reactions, hybrid resistance, and similar complications are important advantages in using donors and unirradiated recipients all on the B6 mouse genetic background. Additionally, congenic B6 mice provide a variety of genetic markers, allowing myeloid and lymphoid repopulation to be readily quantitated.
authors.affiliation: Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-0800.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Astle
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains