T cells cooperating in the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity act via the linked recognition of antigenic determinants.

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Abstract
Culture conditions have been established that allow the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) precursor cells present in a cell population derived from unsensitized spleen cells only when antigen-specific, radioresistant, Thy-1-bearing helper cells are added. This specific cellular cooperation acts via the linked recognition of 2 determinants on the antigen; thus, cells primed to the protein antigen fowl .gamma. globulin (FGG) will only allow the induction of DTH reactivity against the 2nd antigen, burro erythrocyte (BRBC), when the conjugate FGG-BRBC is present in the cultures. The requirement for physical linkage between the 2 antigens was demonstrated by the observation that DTH to BRBC is induced when the conjugate FGG-BRBC is present and not when BRBC and FGG are given as uncoupled molecules.