Detection of complement receptors 1 and 2 on mouse splenic B cells using flow cytometry.
The complement receptor 2 (Cr2) gene is exclusively expressed in B cells and follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in mice and in humans. However, mice also express an alternative splice variant, CR1, of the Cr2 gene. CR2 and CR1 are receptors for the complement component 3 (C3) cleavage fragments C3d(g) and iC3b. Additionally, CR1 is a receptor for C3b and regulates complement convertase activity. CR1 and CR2 have various functions including antigen retention by FDC, regulation of surface complement convertases, and canonically as the B cell coreceptor in which CR2 acts to lower the threshold for B cell activation. Detection of CR1 and CR2 can be utilized to identify B cells and, depending on expression level, to delineate various B cell populations. This protocol describes methods for detecting CR1/2 expression on splenic B cell subsets via flow cytometry.
Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Luke R
LR
Donius
John H
JH
Weis
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d