title: The transient expression of pre-B cell receptors governs B cell development.
abstract: Only a subpopulation of relatively large pre-B cells express pre-B cell receptors (preBCR) that can be seen with very sensitive immunofluorescence methods. Inefficient assembly of the multicomponent preBCR coupled with their ligand-induced endocytosis may account for the remarkably low in vivo levels of preBCR expression. Signaling initiated via the preBCR promotes cellular proliferation and RAG-1 and RAG-2 downregulation to interrupt the immunoglobulin V(D)J gene rearrangement process. Silencing of the surrogate light chain genes, VpreB and lambda5, then terminates preBCR expression to permit cell cycle exit, recombinase gene upregulation, and VJ(L) rearrangement by small pre-B cells destined to become B cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental and Clinical Immunology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, WTI 378, 1824 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-3300, USA.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: Yui-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kaïss
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lassoued
authors.forename: Zhixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Max D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D054420:Pre-B Cell Receptors; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell