Distribution of different cell types in the lymphoid organs of the mouse, as determined with sera against thymus and Peyer's patches.

Abstract

Anti-thymus serum (ATS) absorbed with Peyer's patch cells and anti-Peyer's patch serum (APS) absorbed with thymus cells were prepared. ATS treatment of mice resulted in a suppression of the immune response, measured with Vibrio cholerae as an antigen. APS did not have this effect. ATS and APS were used in the indirect fluorescence test to detect T and B(p) cells. The cells staining with APS were called B(p) cells to indicate that APS might only detect a special fraction of B cells (mature B cells). In Peyer's patches 66 per cent of the cells reacted with APS (B(p) cells), whereas only 19 per cent cells reacted with ATS (T cells). The percentage of T cells in the lymph nodes was high (73 per cent), whereas only 14 per cent B(p) cells were found in this organ. In the spleen almost equal numbers of B(p) and T lymphocytes (32 per cent and 33 per cent) were detected. However, 35 per cent of the lymphocytes were non-reactive with either anti-serum. Bone marrow contained only small numbers of reactive cells (1 per cent T and 2 per cent B(p) cells). Treatment of mice with dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) caused an increase in the number of non-reactive cells in Peyer's patches and a dramatic decrease in the number of B(p) cells. The relative increase of the number of T cells in spleen and lymph nodes was not found in Peyer's patches. Cortisone acetate seems also to act primarily on B cells, especially on those of Peyer's patches. In this case also an increase in the proportion of T cells in the spleen was detected.