FURTHER-STUDIES OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN-SYNTHESIS BY GUINEA-PIG LEUKEMIC LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

The L2C leukemia is a B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocytic neoplasm of strain 2 guinea pigs, maintained by passaging in vivo. It synthesizes .mu. and .lambda. immunoglobulin [Ig] chains. These combine to form monomeric (7S) IgM molecules which are inserted into the plasma membrane. From here they are shed as monomeric IgM and as a species of high MW which was not further defined. The synthesis of .lambda. chain is in excess of that required for the IgM molecule, the surplus being exported directly from the cell without without any intervening phase in the plasma membrane. Quantitative estimates of synthetic rates and pool sizes for these Ig species are presented.