Summary
The recovery of the B lymphocyte compartments was investigated in lethally irradiated mice reconstituted with fetal liver cells. This was done by means of immunofluorescence on frozen sections of spleen, lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. The first B lymphocyte recovery in the spleen was observed on day 8, a few days earlier than in lymph nodes and Peyer's patches (day 13). These early B cells in the spleen were found in the central part of the periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS). Later on, while increasing in number, the B cells formed growing follicles at the periphery of the PALS. Subsequently, brightly fluorescent B cells appeared in the marginal zone, which surrounded the follicles. Another two weeks later, around day 30, also germinal center formation was observed in the follicles of the spleen.
B cell development in lymph nodes and Peyer's patches started somewhat later than in the spleen, but once started, the recovery of the different compartments was completed very fast. Germinal center reactions were found in lymph nodes and Peyer's patches already on day 25, and thus earlier than in the spleen, but later than the first occurrence of the strongly fluorescent cells in the marginal zone. Apparently, germinal center formation is not essential for the recovery of the population of brightly fluorescent B cells in the marginal zone after irradiation and reconstitution.
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The authors thank Prof. Dr. O. Vos for his valuable criticism during the preparation of the manuscript. Mr. J. Fengler is acknowledged for his skilful photographic assistance and Miss Cary Clerkx for typing the manuscript. — This investigation is part of a project program on the regulation of haemopoiesis, subsidized by the Netherlands foundation for Medical Research (FUNGO). J. Rozing was supported by the Interuniversitary Institute of Radiation Pathology and Radiation Protection (Leiden, The Netherlands)
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Rozing, J., Brons, N.H.C., van Ewijk, W. et al. B lymphocyte differentiation in lethally irradiated and reconstituted mice. Cell Tissue Res. 189, 19–30 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00223118
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00223118