MHC RESTRICTION OF MURINE LYMPHOCYTE-T REACTIVITY ANALYZED BY GROWTH OF BONE-MARROW CELLS INVITRO ON THYMUS EPITHELIAL MONOLAYERS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (4) , 835-846
Abstract
Mature mouse T [thymus-derived] lymphocytes, derived from long-term culture of bone marrow cells on thymus epithelial monolayers, were analyzed for their ability to co-operate with B [bone marrow-derived] cells (for antibody production) or T cells (in the generation of cytotoxic cells) when the bone marrow T precursor cells and the thymus epithelial cells differ at defined regions of the major histocompatibility complex. A pool of more mature bone marrow T cell precursors gave rise to T cells interacting only with T/B lymphocytes sharing MHC [major histocompatibility determinants with the strain of origin of the bone marrow cells used. A more immature bone marrow T cell precursor pool produced T lymphocytes which acquired MHC restriction (in terms of cooperativity with T/B cells) as defined by the MHC determinants of the thymus epithelium, and not those MHC determinants of the cultured bone marrow population. Some evidence was obtained for Ir gene control (mapping in the MHC region) in the development of the repertoire of T cells involved in production of cytotoxic responses in vitro to TNP[trinitrophenyl]-modified self antigens.