Abstract
By approximately 4 to 8 wk of age, the IgH VDJ genes of essentially all rabbit B lymphocytes have undergone somatic diversification. Some of this diversification occurs in the appendix, which is a gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). To determine whether GALT is essential for somatic diversification, we surgically removed the appendix, sacculus rotundus, and Peyer's patches from neonatal rabbits (designated GALT-less) and examined the extent to which VDJ genes were somatically diversified. We found that the IgM VDJ genes of peripheral B cells from 2- to 5-mo-old GALT-less rabbits had undergone considerably less somatic diversification than those of control rabbits. Further, the percentage of peripheral B cells in the GALT-less rabbits was generally less than that of controls. Our data suggest that, in rabbits, the primary Ab repertoire develops in GALT, and B cell expansion also occurs there. Hence, GALT may function as a mammalian bursal homologue.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antibody Diversity*
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B-Lymphocytes / physiology
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Base Sequence
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Genes, Immunoglobulin
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Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
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Immunoglobulin M / genetics
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Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics
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Intestines / immunology*
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Lymphoid Tissue / physiology*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Rabbits
Substances
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Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
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Immunoglobulin M
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Immunoglobulin Variable Region
Associated data
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GENBANK/AF029916
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GENBANK/AF029917
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GENBANK/AF029918
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GENBANK/AF029919
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GENBANK/AF029920
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GENBANK/AF029921
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GENBANK/AF029922
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GENBANK/AF029923
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GENBANK/AF029924
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GENBANK/AF029925
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GENBANK/AF029926
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GENBANK/AF029927
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GENBANK/AF029928
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GENBANK/AF029929
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GENBANK/AF029930
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GENBANK/AF029931
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GENBANK/AF029932
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GENBANK/AF029933
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GENBANK/AF029934
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GENBANK/AF029935
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GENBANK/AF029936
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GENBANK/AF029937
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GENBANK/AF029938
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GENBANK/AF029939
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GENBANK/AF029940
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GENBANK/AF029941
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GENBANK/AF029942
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GENBANK/AF029943
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GENBANK/AF029944
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GENBANK/AF029945