HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Willis, J. I. Articles by Schwarz, M. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Willis, J. I. Articles by Schwarz, M. R.

The Circulating Life Span, Immunocompetence and ³H-Uridine Uptake of Small Lymphocytes from Thymus-Grafted, Neonatally Thymectomized Rats¹

From the Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195

Abstract

By 7 weeks post-grafting, the number of small lymphocytes in the thoracic duct lymph (TDL) and blood of the thymus-grafted neonatally thymectomized adult rats had increased to 60% of the number of cells in sham controls, or 2-1/2 times thymectomized control values. This increase consisted almost exclusively of long-lived, recirculating small lymphocytes and corresponded to a 60% recovery of cellular immunocompetence as measured by the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Associated with the return of cellular immunocompetence was an increased incorporation of ³H-uridine by the small lymphocytes. Cells from thymectomized animals grafted with lymph node fragments demonstrated no significant increase in lymphocyte numbers nor was there a return of immunocompetence as compared to thymectomized controls.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by United States Public Health Service Grants GM-00136 and AI-07509 from the National Institutes of Health.

² Present address: Department of Anatomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210.