Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of splenectomized patients are unable to differentiate into immunoglobulin-secreting cells after pokeweed mitogen stimulation.

The function of B cells from the peripheral blood of splenectomized patients has been investigated at the cellular level. The peripheral blood of these patients contained normal numbers of mononuclear cells (MNC) spontaneously secreting IgG and IgM, but an increased amount of IgA-secreting cells. In contrast to MNC isolated from healthy controls, the patients' peripheral blood MNC were unable to differentiate into immunoglobulin-secreting cells in a pokeweed mitogen-driven culture system. Proliferation in response to pokeweed mitogen, however, was significantly higher with patient MNC as compared to control MNC.