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B-lymphocytes carrying IgA in the blood
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
The normal relative number of B-lymphocytes carrying IgA in the blood of adults is 1-3%, the absolute number is 0.02-0.06×10 9 /l.
B lymphocytes are heterogeneous in their population and perform various functions, the main one being the secretion of Ig. Mature B lymphocytes express Ig on the cell membrane. Such membrane Ig functions as antigen-specific receptors and are the most important markers of B lymphocytes.
B-lymphocytes carrying IgA are humoral immunity cells responsible for the synthesis of antibodies. They are formed in the red bone marrow and accumulate mainly in the peripheral lymphoid organs. Peripheral blood contains only 1-3% of their total number. The ratio of populations in the total pool of B-lymphocytes is of great importance in assessing humoral immunity. An imbalance in the ratio is characteristic of humoral immunity deficiency. Determining the number of B-lymphocytes with Ig receptors plays an important role in establishing the type of myeloma, and in lymphoproliferative diseases - in establishing the localization of the B-lymphocyte maturation block.
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