In normal spleen, most recirculating naïve IgM +IgD hi B cells are located within primary follicles and mantle zones of secondary follicles. By contrast, the marginal zone contains a heterogeneous population of IgM hi- IgD lo/- B cells that are mostly non-recirculating. Although these are dynamic populations they are maintained at a constant size, the fundamental homeostatic mechanisms remain uncertain. One possibility is that the presence and turnover of each of the B cell populations is dependent on their location within discrete splenic compartments. To investigate this, we have characterized immature, non-recirculating, mature recirculating, marginal zone and B-1 cell populations in TNF -/- and TNF/lymphotoxin(LT)-α -/- mice that have disorganized splenic architecture. Labelling with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine revealed that turnover of B cells in TNF -/- mice is normal, but is diminished in TNF/LT-α -/- mice. The recirculating B cell populations in both mutant strains are normal in proportion and phenotype. Marginal zone B cells are not seen in TNF/LT-α -/- mice, but this population appears normal in TNF -/- mice, even though they lack germinal centres. These findings indicate that peripheral B cell subsets can be established and maintained independently of normal follicular architecture.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Immunology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Korner, H (Professor Heinrich Korner)
ID Code:	72462
Year Published:	2001
Web of Science® Times Cited:	12
Deposited By:	Research Division
Deposited On:	2011-08-26
Last Modified:	2011-08-29
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