B-lymphocyte commitment: Identifying the point of no return.
Author
Summary, in English
Even though B-lymphocyte development is one of the best understood models for cell differentiation in the hematopoetic system, recent advances in cell sorting and functional genomics has increased this understanding further. This has suggested that already early lymphoid primed multipotent progenitor cells (LMPPs) express low levels of lymphoid restricted transcripts. The expression of these genes becomes more pronounced when cells enter the FLT-3/IL-7 receptor positive common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) stage. However, the expression of B-lineage specific genes is limited to a B-cell restricted Ly6D surface positive subpopulation of the CLP compartment. The gene expression patterns also reflect differences in lineage potential and while Ly6D negative FLT-3/IL-7 receptor positive cells represents true CLPs with an ability to generate B/T and NK cells, the Ly6D positive cells lack NK cell potential and display a reduced T-cell potential in vivo. These recent findings suggest that the CLP compartment is highly heterogenous and that the point of no return in B-cell development may occur already in B220(-)CD19(-) cells. These findings have allowed for a better understanding of the interplay between transcription factors like EBF-1, PAX-5 and E47, all known as crucial for normal B-cell development. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of B-cell fate specification and commitment based on the recent advances in the understanding of molecular networks as well as functional properties of early progenitor populations.
Department/s
Publishing year
2011
Language
English
Pages
335-340
Publication/Series
Seminars in Immunology
Volume
23
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Immunology in the medical area
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1096-3618