title: Fetal B lymphocyte subpopulations in normal pregnancies.
abstract: In 190 pregnancies undergoing cordocentesis for prenatal diagnosis (n = 174) or elective caesarean section (n = 16), fetal peripheral blood B lymphocyte subpopulations were measured using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACScan). The total number of B lymphocytes and polyreactive CD5+ B cells increased exponentially with gestation from respective means of 0.33 x 10(9)/l and 0.25 x 10(9)/l at 17 weeks to a plateau of 0.66 x 10(9)/l and 0.54 x 10(9) at 36 weeks, remaining at that level thereafter. The number of mature CD10- and active CD23+ B lymphocytes increased linearly from a mean of 0.07 x 10(9)/l and 0.11 x 10(9)/l at 17 weeks to 0.24 x 10(9)/l and 0.37 x 10(9)/l, respectively, at 40 weeks. As expected, all B lymphocytes expressed the HLA-DR antigen from as early as 16 weeks gestation. These alterations in specific B lymphocyte subpopulations reflect the pattern of maturation and development of the fetal humoral immune system.
authors.affiliation: Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College School of Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thilaganathan
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Levinsky
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015260:Neprilysin; D011247:Pregnancy; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D015260:Neprilysin