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. 1979 Jan 1;149(1):158–171. doi: 10.1084/jem.149.1.158

Human macromolecular insoluble cold globulin (MICG). I. T-cell origin of T-MICG and null cell origin of N-MICG

PMCID: PMC2184745  PMID: 84041

Abstract

Although surface immunoglobulin characterizes B cells in man, there are few surface markers that distinguish T cells. We have described a new protein synthesized in human T cells, termed T-MICG. This protein is a macromolecule of 225,000 daltons, is insoluble in the cold, and migrates as a beta-globulin on electrophoresis. Separation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes into T and B-cell populations by rosette sedimentation and anti-human-Fab columns clearly demonstrated the T- cell origin of the 225,000 dalton component. Furthermore, null cells were shown to synthesize a protein of 185,000 daltons, termed N-MICG, with physical properties similar to T-MICG, T-MICG and N-MICG were shown to be antigenically dissimilar, employing antiserum to each of these proteins. The present studies demonstrate two novel cell surface markers, T-MICG and N-MICG, which characterize T cells and null cells, respectively.

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Selected References

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