Active Rosette-Forming T Cells in the Elderly*

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The numbers and percentages of active rosette-forming T [thymus-derived] cells were measured in 2 age groups to assess the effects of aging. The study included 21 healthy persons in the 20-40 age group and 25 persons without major disease in the 60-85 age group. In the younger subjects, the number of rosette-forming cells (RFC) averaged 1430 .+-. 463/mm3 (mean and SD), a count not significantly different from that in the older subjects (1443 .+-. 398/mm3). The active RFC count in the 20-40 age group (526 .+-. 185/mm3) and that in the 60-85 age group (558 .+-. 197/mm3) were not significantly different. There was no difference for the percentage total RFC (young 78 .+-. 4%, elderly 78 .+-. 6%) or the percentage active RFC (young 29 .+-. 7%, elderly 30 .+-. 6%). For the total lymphocyte count or the B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocyte count, there was no difference between the 2 groups of subjects. T lymphocytes, measured as total and active rosette-forming cells, are not decreased in healthy older persons.