Populations of Guinea Pig Lymphocytes and Kurloff Cells Characterised by Rosette-Forming Reactions

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Abstract
The affinity of guinea pig lymphoid cells for rabbit red cells was employed for the detection of T cells, while B cells were identified by antibody opsonic (Fc), complement receptor (EAC) and mixed antiglobulin reactions. Rabbit red cells formed rosettes both with blood lymphocytes (18–42%) and with Kurloff cells (7–34%) indicating a possible thymic influence on the latter. There was no correlation between numbers of T lymphocytes and reacting Kurloff cells. Sub-optimal rosetting reactions were obtained when either the rabbit red cells or the blood lymphocytes were stored at 4 °C for several days. There were no significant differences in percentages of rosette-forming lymphocytes, or Kurloff cells when reacted with red cells from 7 rabbits. The highest results in tests for B lymphocytes in blood were obtained with the mixed antiglobulin reaction (2–27%) but all three reactions were usually negative on Kurloff cells. The possible significance of these findings is discussed. There was little daily variation in levels of T and B lymphocytes in the blood of normal guinea pigs. The percentages of T and B cells were also measured in lymph nodes (8–11% T and 7–23% B) and thymus (60–82% T and 2% B) of normal guinea pigs. It is apparent that in all tissues tested there is a variable number of cells which react neither with rabbit red cells, nor in the mixed antiglobulin reaction. Rosette-forming reactions provide a convenient method of assessing T and B lymphocyte levels in the guinea pig blood. The results have a normal frequency distribution and levels for a group of 46 normal guinea pigs were 26.5 ± 8.3% for T and 6.5 ± 4.3% for B lymphocytes.

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