title: IL-2 receptor alpha chain expression during early B lymphocyte differentiation.
abstract: The IL-2/IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) has been studied intensively because of its potential function in the development and regulation of the immune system. The IL-2R alpha chain has been shown to be expressed on CD4-CD8- thymocytes and activated T and B cells. In this report, we show that IL-2R alpha is also expressed on precursor B cells in the bone marrow. Its expression is initiated by functional rearrangement and expression of Ig mu heavy chain gene and is down-regulated when immature B cells mature and express IgD. Its potential function in early B cell differentiation is discussed in comparison with its role in thymocyte differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Alt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2