beta 2-Microglobulin secretion from lymphoid cells: a study at the cellular level.

A protein plaque assay was developed for the detection of human lymphocytes secreting beta 2-microglobulin. The development of plaques required production of beta 2-microglobulin by viable cells at an estimated rate exceeding 25 molecules per second. It has previously been suggested that beta 2-microglobulin secretion is restricted to certain lymphoid cell subpopulations. However, both T- and B-cells were shown to form plaques in normal donors and immunodeficient patients after activation with various mitogens. A close correlation between beta 2-microglobulin production and DNA synthesis was evident. However, secretion of immunoglobulin did not correlate with the proportion of cells secreting beta 2-microglobulin.