Activation of Primed Rabbit Blood Lymphocytes by Antigen: Early Phase of Triggering and the Specificity of the Response

1365-3083

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

The early phase of antigen-dependent triggering of rabbit blood lymphocytes (PBL) is described. Specific activation of PBL by Streptococcal vaccines requires primed lymphocytes from high responder rabbits. B-cell memory is conferred by Ig receptors of both μ and γ chains. Antigen-induced incorporation of leucine and thymidine reach peak values al day 5, with stimulation indices of 10 to 〉 100, closely followed by increases in the number of living cells. A second and less intensive phase of cell proliferation is seen on days 8–11. A large fraction of cells (between 3 and 33%) participates in proliferation. A rough calculation of the average doubling lime of cells during the exponential growth phase gives values of 8–16 h.

Electronic Resource