Development of a human adaptive immune system in cord blood cell-transplanted mice

Because ethical restrictions limit in vivo studies of the human hematolymphoid system, substitute human to small animal xenotransplantation models have been employed. Existing models, however, sustain only limited development and maintenance of human lymphoid cells and rarely produce immune responses. Here we show that intrahepatic injection of CD34(+) human cord blood cells into conditioned newborn Rag2(-/-) gamma(c)(-/-) mice leads to de novo development of B, T, and dendritic cells; formation of structured primary and secondary lymphoid organs; and production of functional immune responses. This provides a valuable model to study development and function of the human adaptive immune system in vivo.