Reconstitution of Scid Mice by Injection of Varying Numbers of Normal Fetal Liver Cells into Scid Neonates

Abstract

In our original report (Bosma et al. 1983) we showed that young adult C.B-17scid/scid mice (scid mice) could be successfully engrafted with bone marrow cells of normal BALB/c donors. The reconstituted recipients readily produced serum immunoglobulin heavy (Igh) chain allotype of the donor cells, indicating that they could support the differentiation of normal lymphocytes. However, the extent of reconstitution in these and other similarly reconstituted scid mice was variable and often incomplete (Custer et al. 1985). Furthermore, the extent of reconstitution did not correlate with the number of donor cells injected (1−5 × 10⁶ bone marrow cells) nor with the elapsed time between injection and analysis. In agreement with these findings, Fulop and Phillips (1986) reported that injection of variable numbers of normal bone marrow cells into young adult scid mice seldom resulted in normal numbers of lymphoid cells, surface Ig⁺ cells or colony-forming B cells. To ensure complete reconstitution, they found it necessary to irradiate scid recipients prior to cell transfer (Fulop and Phillips 1986).

deceased May 3, 1989