Figure 4.

Reconstitution of αβ-intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in polymeric immunoglobulin receptor-positive T-cell receptor-αβ-positive (pIgR^+/+ TCRβ^−/−) mice and pIgR^−/− TCR-β^−/− mice by adoptive transfer of immature bone marrow cells. (a) Bone marrow cells were obtained from TCR-δ^−/− mice, and CD3⁻ B220⁻ CD11b⁻ CD11c⁻ cells were prepared and transferred intravenously into pIgR^+/+ TCR-β^−/− mice (pIgR^+/+β^−/−, ●) and pIgR^−/−β^−/− mice (○) by 1 × 10⁶ cells/mouse. Total number of small intestine (SI)-IELs and the relative constitution of αβ-IELs and γδ-IELs in the recipient mice were examined at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the transfer. Data are presented as mean ± SD of two to five mice. (b) Cellular constitution of SI-IELs in the recipient mice was analysed by a flow cytometer and the numbers of αβ-IEL subsets were calculated by multiplying the total number of SI-IELs by the relative proportion of each subset. *P < 0·05, **P < 0·01.