Which mouse strain is described as lacking both B cells and T cells?

Which mouse strain is described as lacking both B cells and T cells?

• A. Nude Mice
• B. SCID Mice
• C. Beige Mice
• D. Xid Mice

Answer: (B)

Lack of both B and T cells points to a severe combined immunodeficiency profile, where the development of the two main adaptive lymphocyte lineages is disrupted. In this strain, genetic defects prevent the maturation of B cells and T cells, so there is no antibody production and no cell-mediated immune response. This is why SCID mice are commonly used for experiments requiring engraftment of other tissues or human cells, as their severely reduced adaptive immunity minimizes rejection. By contrast, other strains show deficiencies limited to one arm of the adaptive system: nude mice lack T cells but still have B cells, beige mice have NK cell or other innate defects rather than a full absence of B and T cells, and Xid mice have a B cell defect with functional T cells present.

Lack of both B and T cells points to a severe combined immunodeficiency profile, where the development of the two main adaptive lymphocyte lineages is disrupted. In this strain, genetic defects prevent the maturation of B cells and T cells, so there is no antibody production and no cell-mediated immune response. This is why SCID mice are commonly used for experiments requiring engraftment of other tissues or human cells, as their severely reduced adaptive immunity minimizes rejection. By contrast, other strains show deficiencies limited to one arm of the adaptive system: nude mice lack T cells but still have B cells, beige mice have NK cell or other innate defects rather than a full absence of B and T cells, and Xid mice have a B cell defect with functional T cells present.