A method for cloning T‐lymphocytic precursors in agar

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Abstract
A new technique for the culture of T‐lymphocytic colonies is reported. The method may be regarded as a human lymphocyte precursor cell assay, as is the myeloid colony culture for granulocyte‐macrophage progenitors. The colonies arise under the simultaneous stimulation of phytohemagglutin and a leukocyte feeder. A linear relationship is found between colony numbers and cell numbers plated. The colonies represent aggregates of lymphoblast‐like cells, the majority of which are capable of E‐rosette formation, are responsive in mixed lymphocyte cultures, and do not exhibit surface immunoglobulins. Their density distribution profile is very similar to that of myeloid colony‐forming cells. The finding that most of these colony‐forming cells are recovered in the so‐called lymphocyte‐free stem cell fraction following density fractionation suggests that they originate from a lymphocytic precursor.