F. Agenes et Aa. Freitas, Transfer of small resting B cells into immunodeficient hosts results in the selection of a self-renewing activated B cell population, J EXP MED, 189(2), 1999, pp. 319-329
We studied the role of bone marrow B cell production in the renewal of peri
pheral B cells and the feedback mechanisms that control the entry of newly
formed B cells into the peripheral B cell pools. When resting lymph node B
cells are injected into B cell-deficient hosts, a fraction of the transferr
ed cells expands and constitutes a highly selected population that survives
for prolonged periods of time by continuous cell renewal at the periphery.
Although the number of donor B cells recovered is low, a significant fract
ion shows an activated phenotype, and the serum immunoglobulin (Ig)M levels
are as in normal mice. This population of activated B cells is resistant t
o replacement by a new cohort of B cells and is able to feedback regulate b
oth the entry of newly formed B cells into the peripheral pool and terminal
differentiation. These findings suggest that peripheral B cell selection f
ollows the first come, first served rule and that IgM-secreting cells are g
enerated from a pool of stable activated B cells with an independent homeos
tasis.