High molecular weight surface glycoproteins of murine lymphocytes.

High m.w. glycoproteins in the range of 170 and 210K represent major cell surface components of murine lymphocytes. The expression of such glycoproteins has been characterized for thymocytes and peripheral T and B lymphocytes in BALB/c mice using surface and biosynthetic labeling, nonionic detergent extraction, and immunoprecipitation with antibodies directed against antigenic determinants expressed on the cell surface of a murine T cell lymphoma. Immunoprecipitates were then resolved by 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Two groups of antigenically distinct glycoproteins have been defined: 1) a 170K component present on thymocytes and peripheral T lymphocytes but undetectable on B lymphocytes; this glycoprotein has been termed T 170 to suggest its potential use for distinguishing T from B lymphocytes; 2) a higher m.w. glycoprotein bearing antigenic determinants common to T and B cells but expressed as one 180K glycoprotein on thymocytes, 2 glycoproteins of 180 and 190K on peripheral T lymphocytes, and as one 210K glycoprotein on B lymphocytes. The relationships of these glycoproteins with the other known lymphocyte surface markers of high m.w. is discussed.