title: Kinetics of mitogen-induced proliferation and differentiation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes.
abstract: Using a culture system that includes a B-enriched fraction of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) mixed with non-proliferating "filler" cells (mitomycin-treated PBL or T cells), the kinetics of human B cell proliferation and differentiation into cells containing cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (cIg) have studied. Following stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM), proliferative responses of enriched B cells were comparable to those for unseparated PBL, with a peak at 3 to 5 days and a steep decline thereafter; cIg-positive cells increased with both mitogens from day 3 until 7. Little proliferation or differentiation occurred in B cell cultures lacking T "filler" cells. The results indicate that human B cells can respond polyclonally to PHA in vitro, as well as to PWM, if non-proliferating T cell "help" is present. Further, these proliferative responses, but not subsequent differentiation, were inhibited by PHA-stimulated blasts that were treated with mitomycin and added on day 3 of culture.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens