ONTOGENY OF B LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

The frequency of lymphocytes bearing complement receptors in the spleens of 2-wk old mice appears to be controlled by two independent genes. The presence of a "high" allele at either locus leads to intermediate or high frequency of CRL at 2 wk of age. One of the genes controlling complement receptor lymphocyte (CRL) frequency (CRL-1) is linked to the H-2 complex. Thus, in progeny of (AKR x DBA/2)F1 x DBA/2, all mice with a low frequency of CRL at 2 wk of age are homozygous for the H-2 type of the low CRL parent (DBA/2). Furthermore, in the B10 series of congenic mice, CRL frequency at 2 wk of age is similar to the frequency in the donor of the H-2 region. Thus, C57BL/10, B10.BR, and B10-D2 mice are all of the low CRL type while B10.A mice are intermediate in CRL frequency at 2 wk. C57BR and DBA/2, the donors of the H-2 complex of the B10.BR and B10.D2, respectively, are of low CRL type while the A/WySn, the donor of the H-2 complex in the B10.A, is an intermediate CRL strain. Similarly in the A/WySn series of congenic mice, A.CA, A.SW, and A.BY are all low CRL strains while the A/WySn is intermediate. Studies of CRL frequency in mice with recombinant H-2 chromosomes (B10.A(2R), (4R), and (5R); B6/TL+; and A/TL-) indicate that CRL-1 is to the right of the Ss-Slp genes and to the left of Tla.