Thymus-derived lymphocytes control the expression of immunogenic properties of peritoneal macrophages.

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Abstract
Macrophages, given keyhole limpet hemocyanin in vitro, from normal mice initiated immune reactions in culture antigen-specific T [thymus-derived] cell-mediated. Macrophages from nude, from adult-thymectomized, or from neonatal-thymectomized mice were impaired with respect to their capacity to signal such an antigen-specific T cell reaction. Thymocytes from hydrocortisone-treated donors, added in culture to such impaired macrophages, rendered them immunologically potent. The capacity of macrophages from adult-thymectomized mice to promote the activation of antigen-specific helper T cells which, cooperating with B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocytes, would lead to antibody production, was also impaired. Short-lived T lymphocytes apparently control the maturation of macrophages up to a stage at which they can present antigen-specific T cells with antigen in an immunogenic form. T lymphocytes also control the phagocytic properties of macrophages, yet the impairment of their immunogenic properties does not seem to be derived from decreased phagocytosis.