Engraftment and development of human T and B cells in mice after bone marrow transplantation.

A model for human lymphocyte ontogeny has been developed in a normal mouse. Human bone marrow, depleted of mature T and B lymphocytes, and bone marrow from mice with severe combined immunodeficiency were transplanted into lethally irradiated BALB/c mice. Human B and T cells were first detected 2 to 4 months after transplantation and persisted for at least 6 months. Most human thymocytes (30 to 50 percent of total thymocytes) were CD3+CD4+CD8+. Human immunoglobulin was detected in some chimeras, and a human antibody response to dinitrophenol could be generated after primary and secondary immunization.