Responses of human B-cells to recombinant lymphokines.

The effects of recombinant or purified cytokines on the growth and differentiation of human B-cells from a variety of sources were evaluated. The results suggest that IL-1, BCGF and BSF-2 have either "growth-factor" or "differentiation-factor" activity and that only IL-2 has both these functions. In addition, evidence is presented that the two forms of human IL-1 affect B-cell growth differently. Finally, the separation of human normal and leukaemic B-cells into subsets defined by their buoyant cell density, is described.