title: Induction of sIg-negative B lymphocytes for differentiation by PWM.
abstract: It has been reported in the literature that PWM-responsive B lymphocytes are sIgM+, sIgD-, lack receptors for mouse erythrocytes, and are larger than PWM-negative lymphocytes. This paper describes the observation of B cells among the thymocytes from a patient with myasthenia gravis. In the thymocytes, actually no sIg+ cell was found, and Staphylococcus aureus Cowen strain I could not induce the mononuclear cells in the thymus to differentiate. It was surprising that 6.9 per cent of the cells were BA-1 positive cells. At the same time, in the presence of PWM, 9680 +/- 555 cells out of 1 X 10(-6) thymocytes could be induced to differentiate to immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) in culture. This result suggests that PWM might be able to induce sIg- B lymphocytes to differentiate as well.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell