STUDIES ON THE ROLE OF THE THYMUS IN IMMUNOBIOLOGY

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Abstract
Thymectomy of inbred mice during the first 35 days of life stunts immunologic development as assessed by graft versus host reactivity of spleen and lymph node cells, and the earlier the thymectomy the greater the deficiency. Cells from neonatally thymectomized animals induced graft versus host reactions if administered in very large doses, but had tolerance-inducing capacity in normal numbers. Physiologic or immunologic restoration of neonatally thymectomized mice was achieved with thymus or spleen grafts and with dispersed thymus or spleen cells. The degree of reconstitution varied with age of recipient and donor, as well as the tissue source. Allogeneic thymus grafts produced chimeric animals in which the host component predominated; allogeneic spleen provided less restoration, attributable to the donor component. Cell free preparations of thymus or spleen had no discernible effect on either the physiologic or immunologic consequences of neonatal thymectomy.

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