B lymphocyte differentiation in lethally irradiated and reconstituted mice. I. The effect of Strontium-89 induced bone marrow aplasia on the recovery of the B cell compartment in the spleen.

The influence of ⁸⁹Sr-treatment on the recovery of the B cell compartment in lethally irradiated, fetal liver reconstituted mice was studied by means of membrane fluorescence. ⁸⁹Sr is a bone-seeking radio-isotope which causes in a dose of 3 μCi ⁸⁹Sr/g body weight a depletion of all nucleated cells, including immunoglobulin-bearing (B) cells, of the bone marrow.Treatment of irradiated and fetal liver reconstituted mice with 3 μCi ⁸⁹Sr/g body weight immediately and at 17 days after irradiation and reconstitution prevented recovery of the nucleated cell population, including B cells, in the bone marrow. In the spleen of such mice both nucleated cells and B cells reappeared at day 7 and 14 respectively. The B cell population in the spleen did not recover up to normal values during the experimental period of 45 days. It is concluded that B cell differentiation in lethally irradiated, fetal liver reconstituted mice can take place outside the bone marrow. The efficiency of this extra-medullary differentiation is discussed. The conclusion was drawn that mice with a ⁸⁹Sr-induced bone marrow aplasia are able to generate B lymphocytes. Consequently the bone marrow microenvironment seems not to be obligate to the differentiation of B lymphocytes. The peripheral lymphoid organs of such mice were found to be unable to compensate completely for the absence of B lymphocyte production in the bone marrow.