The popliteal node assay for graft‐versus‐host interaction in mice. I. Location and proliferation of donor and host cells within the popliteal node

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A parental (CBAT6T6) lymph node cell suspension was injected into the hind footpad of F1 (CBA × C57BLKs) recipients. The resulting increase in the recipient's popliteal lymph node weight was linearly related on double log plots to the number of parental lymph node cells injected. The node weight response was biphasic including an initial rise, a maximum weight gain at seven to nine days and a gradual decline to normal weight. When the long‐lived small lymphocyte population of the donor was labeled with 3H‐thymidine, the location, morphology and mitotic activity of labeled cells was followed by radioautography. These cells were most frequently observed in the mid‐ and deep cortex and the medullary cords of the host node. Very few labeled blast cells were observed in sections or smears and radioautographs of chromosome spreads confirmed the infrequency of donor long‐lived small lymphocyte transformation and proliferation. Of the proliferating cells in the host node at the peak of the response, 60–85% were of host origin. These observations and others are discussed, and it is proposed that the host short‐lived small lymphocyte accounts for the majority of mitotic cells in the node at the peak of the response.