STUDIES ON MATURATION OF IMMUNE RESPONSIVENESS IN MOUSE .2. ROLE OF SPLEEN

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 117  (1) , 151-154
Abstract
Experiments were designed to investigate the role of the spleen in the development of the murine immune system. By using mice splenectomized within 24 h of birth, and mice with a hereditary, congenital absence of the spleen, the primary immune response to sheep erythrocytes was examined. The immunocompetence of lymph node cells from spleenless or control mice was assessed in vitro, in organ and in cell suspension cultures, and in vivo, by transfer into lethally irradiated syngeneic recipients followed by antigenic stimulation. The immunologic capacities of thymus and bone marrow cells were similarly tested by injection separately or in combination into irradiated syngeneic mice. Lymph node cells from spleenless animals appeared fully competent in vitro and in transfer experiments. Neither neonatal splenectomy nor congenital absence of the spleen significantly reduced the capacity of bone marrow or thymus cells to participate in the immune response to sheep erythrocytes.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: