title: The B-cell-specific Src-family kinase Blk is dispensable for B-cell development and activation.
abstract: The B-cell lymphocyte kinase (Blk) is a src-family protein tyrosine kinase specifically expressed in B-lineage cells of mice. The early onset of Blk expression during B-cell development in the bone marrow and the high expression levels of Blk in mature B cells suggest a possible important role of Blk in B-cell physiology. To study the in vivo function of Blk, mice homozygous for the targeted disruption of the blk gene were generated. In homozygous mutant mice, neither blk mRNA nor Blk protein is expressed. Despite the absence of Blk, the development, in vitro activation, and humoral immune responses of B cells to T-cell-dependent and -independent antigens are unaltered. These data are consistent with functional redundancy of Blk in B-cell development and immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Genetics, University of Köln, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Texido
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mecklenbräuker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saijo
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Desiderio
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarakhovsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018390:Gene Targeting; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C082599:protein-tyrosine kinase p55(blk); D019061:src-Family Kinases