Pre-B cells in bone marrow: size distribution profile, proliferative capacity and peanut agglutinin binding of cytoplasmic mu chain-bearing cell populations in normal and regenerating bone marrow.
Pre-B cell populations in mouse bone marrow, identified by double immunofluorescence labelling of cytoplasmic and surface mu chains (c mu, s mu), have been characterized by cell size, proliferative capacity and the binding of peanut agglutinin (PNA). In the normal steady state of lymphocyte production the size distribution profile of cytocentrifuged c mu + s mu- cells was bimodal. A population of large cells in rapid cell cycle was revealed by arresting cells in mitosis with vincristine. Many c mu + s mu- cells, however, formed a nondividing population of small lymphocytes, resembling s mu + cells in size distribution. During regeneration from sublethal whole body X-irradiation (150 rads) a marked enrichment of large c mu + s mu- cells preceded small c mu + s mu- and s mu + cells; progressive changes in cell size distribution reflected a wave of B lymphocyte genesis. The c mu + s mu- cells in foetal liver resembled those in regenerating marrow. Surface binding of PNA characterised all c mu + s mu- cell populations in normal and regenerating bone marrow and in foetal liver, whereas only a minority of s mu + cells and mu-negative marrow cells bound PNA strongly. The present size distribution analyses allow a correlation with other cytological and functional studies of marrow lymphocyte precursors in defining the place of pre-B cells in B lymphocyte genesis.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012038:Regeneration
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D037102:Lectins; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell