title: Lymphocytes bearing single or double surface immunoglobulins in umbilical cord blood.
abstract: Lymphocytes from the umbilical cord blood of 20 newborn infants and the peripheral blood of 18 adult volunteers, were studied for surface-stable immunoglobulins by the direct immunofluorescence technique. Goat antiserums to human light and heavy chains were used. Cord blood yielded a significantly higher percentage of lymphocyte bearing mu + delta chains, and a lower percentage bearing only delta chains. The number of B cells bearing light chains (K + lambda) or heavy chains (mu + delta +(mu + delta) was higher in cord blood than in the adult peripheral blood. The high percentage of cells bearing double markers (probably virgin B-cells) and the low number of cells bearing only IgD, (probably the cells responsible for secondary antibody responses) could be explained by the inhibition of the IgM-to-IgG switch in the antibody production of newborns.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000276:immunology; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn
chemical_list: D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007075:Immunoglobulin M