Neoteny in lymphocytes: Rag1 and Rag2 expression in germinal center B cells.
The products of the Rag1 and Rag2 genes drive genomic V(D)J rearrangements that assemble functional immunoglobulin and T cell antigen receptor genes. Expression of the Rag genes has been thought to be limited to developmentally immature lymphocyte populations that in normal adult animals are primarily restricted to the bone marrow and thymus. Abundant RAG1 and RAG2 protein and messenger RNA was detected in the activated B cells that populate murine splenic and Peyer's patch germinal centers. Germinal center B cells thus share fundamental characteristics of immature lymphocytes, raising the possibility that antigen-dependent secondary V(D)J rearrangements modify the peripheral antibody repertoire.
Han
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S
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Zheng
B
B
Schatz
D G
DG
Spanopoulou
E
E
Kelsoe
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D016654:Genes, RAG-1; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007114:Immunization; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D045567:VDJ Recombinases
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C499308:Rag2 protein, mouse; C064655:V(D)J recombination activating protein 2; C064658:RAG-1 protein; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D045567:VDJ Recombinases