In rabbits, the primary antibody repertoire is generated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), where bone marrow (BM)-derived B cells undergo a proliferative expansion and somatically diversify the immunoglobulin genes. Unlike in other species, B lymphopoiesis in rabbit arrests a few months after birth, and it is unclear how the peripheral B cell compartment is maintained when there is no influx of newly-made B cells from the BM.
For my dissertation, I investigated how B cells develop in the GALT of rabbits, and how they are maintained in adults after the arrest of lymphopoiesis. To identify cellular signals that promote B cell expansion in GALT, I introduced soluble decoy receptors into newborn rabbits and found that B cells in GALT expand in a B7-CD28 independent, CD40-CD40L, CR2-CR2L, and BAFF-BAFF-R dependent manner. Using several cross-reactive antibodies, I identified subpopulations of transitional (T1 and T2) B cells in the peripheral tissues of both young and adult rabbits. Unlike in other species, T1 B cells in rabbit were proliferating and were somatically diversified, suggesting that these B cells are not newly-made, but somehow maintained in the periphery of adults. Further, unlike in other species, I found that recombinant BAFF did not bind to primary B cells, and I demonstrated that this lack of binding was due to occupied BAFF-binding receptors. Taken together, my work provides some insights into how B cells develop and are maintained in adult rabbits. My work suggests that B cells in GALT develop in a T cell- independent and BAFF and complement-dependent manner. In adults, I designate the somatically diversified transitional B cells as T1d B cells and propose that they are maintained by self-renewal. I propose a model for peripheral B cell homeostasis in adults, wherein self-renewing T1d B cells continuously differentiate into mature B cells. Additionally, I propose that the chronic occupancy of BBRs on primary B cells with endogenous BAFF, provides B cells with a tonic/survival signal, and consequently allows them to remain long-lived.
","abstract_html":"<p>In rabbits, the primary antibody repertoire is generated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), where bone marrow (BM)-derived B cells undergo a proliferative expansion and somatically diversify the immunoglobulin genes. Unlike in other species, B lymphopoiesis in rabbit arrests a few months after birth, and it is unclear how the peripheral B cell compartment is maintained when there is no influx of newly-made B cells from the BM.</p><p>For my dissertation, I investigated how B cells develop in the GALT of rabbits, and how they are maintained in adults after the arrest of lymphopoiesis. To identify cellular signals that promote B cell expansion in GALT, I introduced soluble decoy receptors into newborn rabbits and found that B cells in GALT expand in a B7-CD28 independent, CD40-CD40L, CR2-CR2L, and BAFF-BAFF-R dependent manner. Using several cross-reactive antibodies, I identified subpopulations of transitional (T1 and T2) B cells in the peripheral tissues of both young and adult rabbits. Unlike in other species, T1 B cells in rabbit were proliferating and were somatically diversified, suggesting that these B cells are not newly-made, but somehow maintained in the periphery of adults. Further, unlike in other species, I found that recombinant BAFF did not bind to primary B cells, and I demonstrated that this lack of binding was due to occupied BAFF-binding receptors. Taken together, my work provides some insights into how B cells develop and are maintained in adult rabbits. My work suggests that B cells in GALT develop in a T cell- independent and BAFF and complement-dependent manner. In adults, I designate the somatically diversified transitional B cells as T1d B cells and propose that they are maintained by self-renewal. I propose a model for peripheral B cell homeostasis in adults, wherein self-renewing T1d B cells continuously differentiate into mature B cells. Additionally, I propose that the chronic occupancy of BBRs on primary B cells with endogenous BAFF, provides B cells with a tonic/survival signal, and consequently allows them to remain long-lived.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Yeramilli, Venkata Arunachalam"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Microbiology and Immunology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:08Z","subjects":["BAFF","B cell development","B cell maturation","GALT","Homeostasis","Transitional B cells","Immunology and Infectious Disease"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/163","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Yeramilli, Venkata Arunachalam"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-31T17:08:33Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Microbiology and Immunology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["BAFF","B cell development","B cell maturation","GALT","Homeostasis","Transitional B cells","Immunology and Infectious Disease"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/163"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In rabbits, the primary antibody repertoire is generated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), where bone marrow (BM)-derived B cells undergo a proliferative expansion and somatically diversify the immunoglobulin genes. Unlike in other species, B lymphopoiesis in rabbit arrests a few months after birth, and it is unclear how the peripheral B cell compartment is maintained when there is no influx of newly-made B cells from the BM.
For my dissertation, I investigated how B cells develop in the GALT of rabbits, and how they are maintained in adults after the arrest of lymphopoiesis. To identify cellular signals that promote B cell expansion in GALT, I introduced soluble decoy receptors into newborn rabbits and found that B cells in GALT expand in a B7-CD28 independent, CD40-CD40L, CR2-CR2L, and BAFF-BAFF-R dependent manner. Using several cross-reactive antibodies, I identified subpopulations of transitional (T1 and T2) B cells in the peripheral tissues of both young and adult rabbits. Unlike in other species, T1 B cells in rabbit were proliferating and were somatically diversified, suggesting that these B cells are not newly-made, but somehow maintained in the periphery of adults. Further, unlike in other species, I found that recombinant BAFF did not bind to primary B cells, and I demonstrated that this lack of binding was due to occupied BAFF-binding receptors. Taken together, my work provides some insights into how B cells develop and are maintained in adult rabbits. My work suggests that B cells in GALT develop in a T cell- independent and BAFF and complement-dependent manner. In adults, I designate the somatically diversified transitional B cells as T1d B cells and propose that they are maintained by self-renewal. I propose a model for peripheral B cell homeostasis in adults, wherein self-renewing T1d B cells continuously differentiate into mature B cells. Additionally, I propose that the chronic occupancy of BBRs on primary B cells with endogenous BAFF, provides B cells with a tonic/survival signal, and consequently allows them to remain long-lived.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["B Lymphocyte Development in Galt"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Yeramilli, Venkata Arunachalam"],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-31T17:08:33Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In rabbits, the primary antibody repertoire is generated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), where bone marrow (BM)-derived B cells undergo a proliferative expansion and somatically diversify the immunoglobulin genes. Unlike in other species, B lymphopoiesis in rabbit arrests a few months after birth, and it is unclear how the peripheral B cell compartment is maintained when there is no influx of newly-made B cells from the BM.
For my dissertation, I investigated how B cells develop in the GALT of rabbits, and how they are maintained in adults after the arrest of lymphopoiesis. To identify cellular signals that promote B cell expansion in GALT, I introduced soluble decoy receptors into newborn rabbits and found that B cells in GALT expand in a B7-CD28 independent, CD40-CD40L, CR2-CR2L, and BAFF-BAFF-R dependent manner. Using several cross-reactive antibodies, I identified subpopulations of transitional (T1 and T2) B cells in the peripheral tissues of both young and adult rabbits. Unlike in other species, T1 B cells in rabbit were proliferating and were somatically diversified, suggesting that these B cells are not newly-made, but somehow maintained in the periphery of adults. Further, unlike in other species, I found that recombinant BAFF did not bind to primary B cells, and I demonstrated that this lack of binding was due to occupied BAFF-binding receptors. Taken together, my work provides some insights into how B cells develop and are maintained in adult rabbits. My work suggests that B cells in GALT develop in a T cell- independent and BAFF and complement-dependent manner. In adults, I designate the somatically diversified transitional B cells as T1d B cells and propose that they are maintained by self-renewal. I propose a model for peripheral B cell homeostasis in adults, wherein self-renewing T1d B cells continuously differentiate into mature B cells. Additionally, I propose that the chronic occupancy of BBRs on primary B cells with endogenous BAFF, provides B cells with a tonic/survival signal, and consequently allows them to remain long-lived.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/163"],"dc:subject":["BAFF","B cell development","B cell maturation","GALT","Homeostasis","Transitional B cells","Immunology and Infectious Disease"],"dc:title":["B Lymphocyte Development in Galt"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Microbiology and Immunology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:08Z"}