PRODUCTION OF LYMPHOCYTES AND PLASMA CELLS IN RAT FOLLOWING IMMUNIZATION WITH HUMAN SERUM ALBUMIN

  • 1 January 1961
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 4  (3) , 219-+
Abstract
The lymphoid tissue response to immunization with human serum albumin has been studied in rats. No change was found in the total circulating blood lymphocytes or the hourly output of lymphocytes from thoracic duct f istulae in the immunized rats compared to the controls. The number of cells in the thoracic duct lymph synthesizing DNA was the same in the two groups of rats. The specific activities of the spleen DNAP and RNAP and the lymph node RNAP were significantly higher in the immunized rats. A considerable proliferation of the plasma cells occurred in the nodes and spleen of the immunized rats. Evidence is presented to show that the mature plasma cell is an end cell and that there is a high rate of turnover of these cells in the nodes. The analysis of the DNAP and RNAP specific activity results is discussed in relation to the inert and active DNA mass in the tissue. Observations have been made on the effects of giving Freund''s adjuvant alone to rats, in particular the cystic changes that occurred in the caecal nodes.