Question

If a researcher took bone marrow from a severe combined immune deficiency (scid) mouse and transplanted it into the blood stream of an irradiated normal mouse and then you analyzed lymph nodes of these mice after 1 month for the presence of mature CD3+ T cells after allowing the transplanted bone marrow to repopulate the thymus and secondary lymphoid organs what would you expect to find? Answer _______________________.

would mature T cells be present or not?) Why is your answer correct? Answer______________________.

Answer 1

Since bone marrow of previous mice will have lymphocyte precursor cell which require further maturation, B cell can be matured in the lymphocyte whereas T cells need thymus for their maturation, which is present in the normal mice. So, normal mice will produce T cells (as they are matured in the thymus for further functioning).

Yes, new mice would have T cells as they are originated or developed from the bone marrow of previous mice but maturation will take place in normal mice only and CD3+ T cells are immune cells against a number if infection but some functions would be compromised. Please note that, there would some alteration due to irradiated mice model.