Vol.26 No.5（2004 October）：487-489

The Roles of pre-B Cell Receptor and Transcription Factors in B Cell Development

Jian Sun*

（College of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China）

Abstract: B cell development from hematopoietic stem cell is a complex and multi-steps process in bone marrow. This process is highly controlled. Transcription factors, like PU.1, EBF and Pax5 function in a hierarchal way, upregulate B-lineage specific gene expression and play important roles in B cell commitment and development. After successful Ig heavy chain recombination in pre-B cells, m chain is expressed and forms pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) with surrogate light chains and Iga/b heterodimer. pre-BCR induces differentiation signal and promotes further B cell development. Pre-B cells cannot assembly pre-BCR and will die by apoptosis if Ig heavy chain recombination is not succeeded. Therefore, pre-BCR transient expression in pre-B transition stage is an important checkpoint in B cell development.

Key words: B cell; transcription factors; development; pre-B cell receptor

*Corresponding author. Tel: 86-22-87401830, Fax: 86-22-27892025, E-mail: jsun@public3.bta.net.cn