title: Activation of rat B lymphocytes. II. Functional and structural changes in "aged" rat B lymphocytes.
abstract: Anti-mu, anti-gamma, and anti-delta antibodies induce proliferation of splenic B lymphocytes from young Lewis rats, measured by 3H-TdR uptake. In contrast, splenic B cells of aged Lewis rats respond poorly or not at all to these reagents. T lymphocytes or interleukin 2 (IL-2) of young or aged rats augment the uptake of 3H-TdR in cultures of "young" B cells responding to anti-Ig reagents or LPS and DxS, but have no significant effect on the responses of "old" B cells. Analysis of spleen cells of young and aged rats in a fluorescence-activated cell sorter indicates the density of mu, gamma, and delta isotypes is reduced in "old" B cells, and that B cells of aged rats are significantly larger than those of young rats. These results delineate anatomic and structural changes in B lymphocytes of aged rats.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007138:Immunoglobulin delta-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D003911:Dextrans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007138:Immunoglobulin delta-Chains; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016264:Dextran Sulfate