Fig. 2. Hells B-cell conditional knockout mice display normal B-cell development but reduced basal antibody titers.

a Percentage of B lymphocytes (B220⁺) among living splenocytes, measured by flow cytometry in control (n = 10) and Mb1Hells^KO mice (n = 7). b Representative flow cytometry plots showing type 1 and 2 transitional B cells (T1: B220⁺IgM⁺CD93⁺CD23^neg; T2: B220⁺IgM⁺CD93⁺CD23⁺), follicular B cells (FoB): B220⁺CD23⁺CD21⁺; and marginal zone B cells (MZB): B220⁺CD21^hiCD23^lo/neg in the spleen of non-immunized control and Mb1Hells^KO mice. c Quantification of the splenic subsets depicted in (b) in control (n = 10, of which 7 were Mb1^Cre/WTHells^F/WT) and Mb1Hells^KO mice (n = 7). d Quantification by ELISA of immunoglobulin titers of non-immunized 12-weeks old mice. Number (n) of control (of which 4 were Mb1^Cre/WTHells^F/WT) and Mb1Hells^KO mice used is indicated in the figure. Data were pooled from two independent experiments. Bar charts and error bars represent the mean ± SD. Unpaired two-tailed t-test (a) and (c) and two-tailed Welch’s t-test (d) were performed, ns: non-significant, exact p values indicated in figures. Source data are provided in Source Data File.