Regulation of B cell differentiation by bone marrow stromal cells.

B lymphocyte development occurs in the intersinusoidal spaces of bone marrow in association with a sessile population of stromal cells. Development of long-term bone marrow culture systems that support B lymphopoiesis has allowed the isolation of stromal cells that support that process and permitted analysis of their role in controlling the growth and differentiation of B lineage cells in culture. In addition to direct interactions with developing lymphocytes, stromal cells secrete a variety of cytokines that affect lymphocyte growth and differentiation, and many of these molecules have been expressed in recombinant form. These relatively recent advances have made it possible to formulate a working model of the cells and molecules involved in regulating primary B cell production.