Differential requirement for B-memory and T-memory cells in adoptive antibody formation in mouse bone marrow.

During the secondary response of mice to T-dependent antigens, antibody-producing plaque-forming cells (PFC) appear not only in peripheral lymphoid organs, but also in the bone marrow. This bone marrow antibody formation is feeble after primary immunization. The capacity of bone marrow antibody formation is dependent on the presence of antigen-specific memory cells at the moment of secondary immunization. We investigated whether hapten-primed B memory, carrier-primed T memory or both B-memory and T-memory cells are required for the adoptive PFC response in the bone marrow to T-dependent hapten-carrier conjugates. Adoptive antibody formation in the bone marrow was found after transfer of hapten-primed spleen cells, but not after transfer of carrier-primed spleen cells or virgin spleen cells. Thus, B-memory cells are obligatory for adoptive antibody formation in the bone marrow, in contrast to T-memory cells. However, T-memory cells did facilitate the bone marrow PFC response mediated by the infused B-memory cells.