Pre-B cells; normal and abnormal development.

Abstract

The immediate precursors of B lymphocytes have been recently identified in fetal liver and in bone marrow. Immunoglobulin genes, first of the heavy-chain gene family and later from one of the light-chain gene families, are selected and undergo functional rearrangements on one of each chromosomal pair during this stage of differentiation. Thus clonal diversity is generated among cycling pre-B cells that lack the surface antibody expression which characterizes their B-cell progeny. While the number of discriminating markers for pre-B cells is still limited, examination of bone marrow pre-B cells containing cytoplasmic mu chains but lacking surface immunoglobulin has already revealed an informative spectrum of early differentiation defects in antibody deficiency diseases and malignancies of B lineage.

• Authors: M D Cooper
• Journal: Journal of clinical immunology (J Clin Immunol) Vol. 1 Issue 2 Pg. 81-9 (Apr 1981) ISSN: 0271-9142 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 6801081 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Ly
• Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
• Immunoglobulin Light Chains
• Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell

Topics

• Animals
• Antigens, Ly (immunology)
• B-Lymphocytes (cytology, pathology)
• Birds
• Bone Marrow Cells
• Cell Differentiation
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic (pathology)
• Female
• Fetus (cytology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains (genetics)
• Immunoglobulin Light Chains (genetics)
• Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes (immunology, pathology)
• Kinetics
• Leukemia, Experimental (immunology, pathology)
• Leukemia, Lymphoid (immunology, pathology)
• Liver (cytology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred Strains
• Pregnancy
• Rabbits
• Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell (immunology)