Open AccessNormal pre-B cells express a receptor complex of mu heavy chains and surrogate light-chain proteins.
Author(s) -
Norihiro Nishimoto,
Hiromi Kubagawa,
Tatsuharu Ohno,
G. Larry Gartland,
Ana K. Stanković,
Max D. Cooper
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.88.14.6284
Subject(s) - immunoglobulin light chain , biology , antibody , population , antigen , surface immunoglobulin , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , heavy chain , bone marrow , b cell , genetics , immunology , demography , sociology
Precursors of B cells, which constitute a subpopulation of the lymphocytes in bone marrow, can be identified by their surface expression of nonimmunoglobulin markers and the absence of immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chains. Most pre-B cells synthesize mu heavy chains but, without light-chain partners, these undergo rapid cytoplasmic degradation. In the present study, we demonstrate that late stage pre-B cells, like their neoplastic counterparts, express low levels of a surface receptor composed of mu chains paired with a surrogate light-chain complex formed by Vpre-B and lambda 5-like proteins. The data define a previously suspected but unrecognized stage in normal pre-B-cell differentiation. Expression of a clonally diverse receptor renders this population of immature B-lineage cells potentially vulnerable to clonal selection by antigens and idiotypic interactions.