title: Immunoglobulin- and J chain-producing cells associated with lymphoid follicles in the human appendix, colon and ileum, including Peyer's patches.
abstract: Immunohistochemistry of B cells associated with normal human Peyer's patches and solitary lymphoid follicles of the ileum, colon and appendix mucosa showed that local accumulation of IgG-producing cells is a common feature of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). These immunocytes have strikingly down-regulated J-chain expression, indicating that they belong to mature memory clones. They are located mainly in the dome areas, alongside the follicles, and to a lesser extent in the germinal centres, and are accompanied by a much smaller number of J-chain negative IgA- and IgM-producing cells. It is concluded that B cells of mature memory clones are retained in GALT, whereas relatively early counterparts with a high J chain-expressing potential probably emigrate rapidly after stimulation and seed distant secretory sites where they undergo terminal differentiation to produce mainly J chain-containing dimeric IgA.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001065:Appendix / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D007136:Immunoglobulins