Cell Interaction in an Immune Response in vitro: Requirement for Theta-Carrying Cells

Abstract

Cytotoxic antiserum to theta antigen reduces the capacity of mouse spleen cells to generate direct and indirect plaque-forming cells to sheep erythrocytes in vitro but does not affect plaque-forming cells, their precursors, or hemopoietic stem cells. The response of spleen cells treated with antiserum to theta antigen is restored by thymus cells incubated in vivo with sheep erythrocytes.