Development of Immunologic Competence in Germfree and Conventional Mice

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: The immunologic competence of dispersed spleen cells from germfree and conventional mice was assessed in terms of hemagglutinin and hemolysin formation in a cell transfer system and in intact mice. The results revealed that germfree and conventional mice are immunologically alike as judged by: a) numbers of immunocompetent progenitor cells in the spleens of 3- and 13-week-old mice, b) kinetics of hemagglutinin and hemolysin formation by spleen cells of 3-, 9- and 13-week-old mice, and of intact 13-week-old mice and c) rate and magnitude of immunologic growth of the spleen during the first 25 weeks after birth. Thus, naturally occurring microbial flora and maternal antibodies are not basic requisites for the normal development of progenitors of hemagglutinin- and hemolysin-synthesizing cells.