Overlap stimulation of primary and secondary B cells by cross-reacting determinants.
Experiments were carried out to test the validity of the hypothesis that postulated differences in the nature of the antigen receptors of primary and secondary B cells should be reflected in a greater specificity in primary B-cell stimulation (2). Enumeration of clonal precursors stimulated by either DNP-Hy, TNP-Hy, or a mixture of both antigens confirmed this hypothesis. Since the sum of primary B cells stimulated by DNP-Hy and TNP-Hy is approximately equal to the number stimulated by a mixture of both, overlap stimulation of primary B cells by these antigens could be considered negligible. In contrast, the stimulation of B cells from mice previously immunized with DNP-Hy showed extensive overlap of stimulation by DNP-Hy and TNP-Hy. Thus secondary B cells appear less fastidious in their affinity requirements for stimulation than primary B cells.
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009596:Nitrophenols; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000939:Epitopes; D009596:Nitrophenols