Open AccessThe B-Cell-Specific src-Family Kinase Blk Is Dispensable for B-Cell Development and Activation
Author(s) -
Gemma Texidó,
I-hsin Su,
Ingrid Mecklenbräuker,
Kaoru Saijo,
Sami N. Malek,
Stephen Desiderio,
Klaus Rajewsky,
Alexander Tarakhovsky
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.20.4.1227-1233.2000
Subject(s) - biology , b cell , microbiology and biotechnology , tyrosine kinase , t cell , immune system , signal transduction , immunology , antibody
The B-cell lymphocyte kinase (Blk) is a src-family protein tyrosine kinase specifically expressed in B-lineage cells of mice. The early onset of Blk expression during B-cell development in the bone marrow and the high expression levels of Blk in mature B cells suggest a possible important role of Blk in B-cell physiology. To study the in vivo function of Blk, mice homozygous for the targeted disruption of theblk gene were generated. In homozygous mutant mice, neitherblk mRNA nor Blk protein is expressed. Despite the absence of Blk, the development, in vitro activation, and humoral immune responses of B cells to T-cell-dependent and -independent antigens are unaltered. These data are consistent with functional redundancy of Blk in B-cell development and immune responses.