Abstract
A functional subpopulation of murine B lymphocytes proliferate in semisolid agar culture in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol to form colonies. The effects of diffusible macrophage-derived factors on this focal proliferation was investigated using a two-layer culture system which prevented macrophage-lymphocyte contact and permitted B-cell activation to be critically assessed under conditions of extremely low cell densities. Adherent peritoneal macrophages incorporated within underlayers of spleen or lymph node cell cultures potentiated both the number and size of developing B-cell colonies. These effects were most striking when low numbers of spleen or lymph node cells, or macrophage- depleted lymphoid cell suspensions were used. Thus, macrophage-depleted lymph node ceils gave rise to virtually no colonies, but colony-forming ability was restored by the presence of an optimal number of macrophages. When the number of macrophages exceeded that required for optimal stimulation, colony formation was suppressed; an effect which was largely prevented by indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis. Under these conditions, stimulation and inhibition of B-cell activation by macrophages could be dissociated, indicating that each signal is selectively controlled by individual molecules elaborated by the macrophage. With an appropriate number of macrophages required for B-cell activation, and sufficient indomethacin to inhibit the accumulation of macrophage-derived prostaglandin, B-lymphocyte clonal proliferation was a linear function of the number of B cells placed in culture. In the absence of macrophages, B-cell colony formation was potentiated by both lipopolysaccharide and intact sheep erythrocytes through a mechanism different from that of the macrophage-derived stimulatory factor. In addition to their direct stimulatory effect on B-cell proliferation, lipopolysaccharide and sheep erythrocytes were each capable of modulating the production and/or release of B-cell stimulatory and inhibitory factors by the macrophage. Parallel studies of conventional mitogen- stimulated lymphocyte cultures did not show a requirement for macrophages and confirm that the semisolid assay is uniquely suited to studies on the regulatory role of the macrophage in B-cell activation.
Highlights
The effects of diffusible macrophage-derived factors on this focal proliferation was investigated using a two-layer culture system which prevented macrophage-lymphocyte contact and permitted B-cell activation to be critically assessed under conditions of extremely low cell densities
Adherent peritoneal macrophages incorporated within underlayers of spleen or lymph node cell cultures potentiated both the number and size of developing B-cell colonies
Macrophagedepleted lymph node ceils gave rise to virtually no colonies, but colony-forming ability was restored by the presence of an optimal number of macrophages
Summary
Female B6D2F1 mice (Cumberland View Farms, Clinton, Tenn.) were used at 2-3 mo of age and provided spleen and lymph nodes, as well as peritoneal macrophages. Large fragments of connective tissue and fat were removed and the cells washed three times, counted, appropriately diluted, and kept on ice until needed. The peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) were washed twice at 4°C, suspended in ice-cold serum-free medium, the number of nucleated cells counted, and appropriately diluted. This procedure yielded 30-50 × 106 PEC per mouse of which 75% was morphologically typical macrophages. Noninduced resident peritoneal cells were harvested by sterilely washing out the peritoneal cavity with 8 ml of ice-cold serum-free medium
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
