B-1 cells: the lineage question revisited.
The origins and functions of B-1 cells have sparked a good deal of controversy, largely centered on whether these B cells are developmentally distinct from the principal B cell populations (B-2) found in peripheral lymphoid organs. However, the prime criteria for assigning B-1 and B-2 cells to separate developmental lineages are satisfied by studies published some time ago that 1) identify distinct sources of progenitors for B-1 and B-2 cells; 2) show that these progenitors express their inherent commitment developing under the same conditions in co-transfer recipients; and, 3) have distinctive developmental patterns revealed by analysis of cells at various stages along the B-cell development pathway. I review these developmental studies here both to clarify the issue and to set the stage for presentation of evidence from more recent studies, which further define the functional differences between B-1 and B-2 cells and reveal intriguing complexities in the selective and other mechanisms that control the V(H) composition of the B-1 antibody repertoire.
Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA. leeherz@darwin.stanford.edu
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D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D000917:Antibody Formation; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005246:Feedback; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology
D018956:CD5 Antigens; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase