THE INVITRO GENERATION OF SUPPRESSOR LYMPHOCYTES INVOLVES INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PNA+ AND PNA- THYMOCYTE POPULATIONS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (4) , 697-704
Abstract
Employing cell fractionation with the aid of peanut agglutinin [PNA], it was found that at least 2 subpopulations of mouse T cells are required for the generation of suppressor T lymphocytes in culture. The co-operation of these 2 subpopulations, the medullary and the cortical types of thymocytes, is required for the induction phase but it apparently plays no role in the expression of the suppressive effect. With the aid of genetic markers, it was found that the medullary-type, cortisone-resistant, PNA-negative T cell was the progenitor of the suppressor lymphocytes, while the cortical type cells performed an accessory (regulatory?) function. Allostimulation of T cells in culture gives rise to both helper and suppressor cells. The generation of helper lymphocytes requires allostimulation for less than 24 h while the induction of suppressor cells requires a longer period of stimulation which leads in the end to predominance of the suppressor effect.