Abstract
B cells are present in human fetal intestine from approximately 14 weeks of gestation. Here we show that this population includes mature, dividing B cells. These are large cells with dendritic processes, resembling human thymic B cells. In addition, we observed IgM+, light chain-, and CD20- cells and local expression of V pre-B, demonstrating that the human fetal intestine is a site of B cell development. Ig V(H)DJ(H) gene sequencing can confirm clonal identity of B cells. Identification of the same IgV(H)4-34 sequence in serial sections in two fetuses confirmed local accumulation of related cells in each case. IgV(H)4-34 was also amplified from an additional two samples, and the D and J repertoire compared with a unique database of unselected V(H)4-34 genes from postnatal gut. Distinguishing characteristics of Ig lambda genes in postnatal gut were also studied in the fetus. According to these parameters, fetal and postnatal B cells are unrelated.