title: DNA ligases as markers of lymphoid cell maturation and heterogeneity in the chicken.
abstract: The activities of 8 S and 6 S DNA ligases have been studied in the chicken lymphoid cells of blood, spleen and bursa of Fabricius at different stages of development, from late embryonic life to about 3 months after hatching. These cells have been sorted with the fluorescence-activated cell sorter FACS II on the basis of size and T or B antigenicity (immunofluorescence). The light 6 S DNA ligase has been previously demonstrated to be associated to a late stage of differentiation of thymocytes. In the bursa, a unique form of 8 S DNA ligase is found during the whole period of observation. This form of enzyme remains in the B cells of the spleen until 3 weeks after hatching, but is never present in the blood B cells. As far as T cells are concerned, the light DNA ligase is present in the blood from 18-day embryonic life on. In the spleen T cells, on the contrary, this enzyme appears only 3 weeks after hatching. Before this stage, splenic T cells are devoid of any form of DNA ligase activity. These findings show biochemical differences in T and B lymphocytes colonizing the periphery, blood and spleen, and suggest, at least for the T cells at early stages, a heterogeneity in the degree of differentiation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D011088:DNA Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D011118:Polynucleotide Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015478:Antigens, Heterophile; D011088:DNA Ligases; D011118:Polynucleotide Ligases