Role of Monocytes in the Mixed Leukocyte Culture Reaction

Abstract

Suspensions of pure lymphocytes did not interact in mixed cultures; the reaction could be restored by the addition of purified monocytes or of unfractionated leukocyte suspensions in which lymphocytes had been rendered unreactive by X-irradiation or mitomycin. These findings suggest that the monocyte is essential to the mixed leukocyte culture reaction.