Abstract
THE autoradiographic detection of the binding of various radiolabelled antigens to a proportion of lymphocytes from animals not exposed to those antigens (“nonprimed” lymphocytes) is well documented1–4. Such lymphocytes are thought to have patches of surface immunoglobulin, primarily IgM, which act as specific receptors for antigen5,6. A proportion at least of these unprimed lymphocytes are immunologically competent as shown in vivo7,8 and hence are true antigen reactive cells. Most assays have used peripheral lymphocyte suspensions from tissues of man, mouse, rat and chicken, not enriched or fractionated in any way for the two distinct lines of lymphocytes, thymic derived (T) and non-thymic derived (B)9. It is not clear whether antigen-binding cells (ABC), detected in routine assays where autoradiographs are exposed for 1–2 weeks, are of both T and B cell type or are predominantly of only one type. Experiments using unlabelled and radiolabelled immunoglobulin antisera with isolated T and B cells have inferred specific antigen binding on both populations although T cells seem to have far fewer antigen binding receptors than B cells10.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
We are sorry, but there is no personal subscription option available for your country.
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Naor, D., and Sulitzeanu, D., Nature, 214, 687 (1967).
Byrt, P., and Ada, G. L., Immunology, 17, 503 (1969).
Dwyer, J. M., and Mackay, I. R., Lancet, i, 164 (1970).
Humphrey, J. H., and Keller, H. U., in Developmental Aspects of Antibody Formation and Structure (edit. by Sterzyl, J., and Riha, M.) (Academic Press, New York, 1970).
Warner, N. L., Byrt, P., and Ada, G. L., Nature, 226, 942 (1970).
Ada, G. L., Transplant. Rev., 5, 105 (1970).
Ada, G. L., and Byrt, P., Nature, 222, 1296 (1969).
Basten, A., Miller, J. F. A. P., Warner, N. L., and Pye, J., Nature, 281, 104 (1971).
Roitt, I. M., Greaves, M. F., Brostoff, J., and Playfair, J. H. L., Lancet, ii, 367 (1969).
Warner, N. L., in Contemporary Topics in Immunology (Plenum Press, New York, in the press).
Flanagan, S. P., Genet. Res., 8, 295 (1966).
Pantelouris, E. M., Nature, 217, 370 (1968).
Pantelouris, E. M., and Hair, J., J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol., 24, 615 (1970).
De Sousa, M. A. B., Parrot, D. M. V., and Pantelouris, E. M., Clin. Exp. Immunol., 4, 367 (1969).
Raff, M. C., Nature, 224, 378 (1969).
Pantelouris, E. M., Immunology, 20, 247 (1971).
Dwyer, J. M., and Warner, N. L., Nature, 229, 210 (1970).
Raff, M. C., Immunology, 19, 637 (1970).
Bankhurst, A., and Warner, N. L., J. Immunol. (in the press).
Naor, D., Bentwich, Z., and Cividalli, G., Austral. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 47, 759 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
DWYER, J., MASON, S., WARNER, N. et al. Antigen Binding Lymphocytes in Congenitally Athymic (Nude) Mice. Nature New Biology 234, 252–253 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio234252a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio234252a0