title: Homeostatic proliferation of B cells.
abstract: Naïve B cells introduced into a lymphopenic host undergo antigen-independent proliferation which is inhibited in a cell dose dependent manner by feedback from mature B cells. Homeostatic proliferation is a generalized lymphocyte property with B cells sharing many of the inductive and regulatory characteristics established for naïve and memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and NK cells. In this communication we discuss the cytokine requirements for B cell HP, extend the murine studies to human cells, and propose the hypothesis that B cell HP may provide an antigen-independent mechanism for maintaining B cell memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. robert.woodland@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Woodland
authors.forename: Madelyn R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice