Farage Cells

The Farage cell line originates from a B lymphocyte derived from an adult female diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma. This cell line is particularly valuable in immunological studies due to its unique characteristics and reactions to various stimuli. Farage cells grow in suspension and are notable for not expressing surface or cytoplasmic immunoglobulins, highlighting their utility in studies focused on immune response without the interference of these proteins.

When treated with interleukin-4 (IL-4), Farage cells exhibit an increase in the expression of several markers including CD23, CD54, and CD58, while showing a reduction in CD21, CD22, and CD38 levels. This modulation of surface markers suggests IL-4’s role in influencing B-cell behavior and provides a useful model for exploring the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms in B-cells. Moreover, the response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment, which results in the down-regulation of CD21 and CD23, further supports its application in studying kinase-driven signaling in B-cells.

The absence of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and recombination activating genes (RAG-1 and RAG-2) in Farage cells confirms their classification as mature B-cells rather than pre-B cells. This aspect is crucial for research targeting the mature stages of B-cell development or function. Additionally, the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in these cells can be leveraged in studies investigating viral interactions with host cellular mechanisms, particularly in the context of oncogenic processes in lymphocytes.