A phenotypic and functional analysis of long-lived B and T lymphocytes.

The lymphocyte composition of spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and thymus of mice submitted to hydroxyurea treatments for four consecutive days was studied. The treatment selects for small lymphocyte populations that represent between 4 and 20% of control numbers in the various organs. Spleen and bone marrow contain the same B cell population with a low IgM, high IgD, low I-E phenotype, which respond to LPS at control clonal frequencies. The T cell compartment is equally depleted, and the lymphocytes remaining contain frequencies of clonable cells in response to mitogens and IL-2 that are comparable to those detected in normal spleen cells. Overall, the results suggest that only a minor fraction of all lymphocytes in a normal young adult mouse have life spans longer than 4 days.