Antigenic markers on mouse lymphoid cells: origin of cells mediating immunologic memory

Specific antisera were used for the purification of thymus dependent and thymus independent or bursa equivalent lymphoid cells in the mouse. Spleen cells from mice immune to sheep erythrocytes, a thymus dependent antigen, or to E. coli 055:B5 lipopolysaccharide, a thymus independent antigen, were treated with anti-θ (C3H) serum or anti-MBLA serum and complement prior to their adoptive transfer into lethally irradiated syngeneic recipients. Syngeneic thymocytes, bone marrow cells, or spleen cells from nonimmune donors were appropriately added to antiserum treated cells prior to transfer. The secondary response to these antigens was assayed in recipient spleens six days after cell transfer. The kinetics of the primary response to SRBC was investigated as to its effect on origin of specific hyper-reactive T or B lymphoid cells.The adoptive response to CPS originated in the B lymphoid cell population. Immunologic memory to CPS was demonstrated in recipients of immune cells, compared to recipients of normal cells, by a five fold increase in antibody forming cells.The IgM and IgG adoptive immune response to high doses of SRBC depended upon an increased number of specifically hyper-reactive T-lymphoid cells to facilitate cooperation between T and B lymphocytes. High doses of SRBC initially stimulated T cell memory but at 42 days after priming an increased number of specifically hyper-reactive B lymphoid cells were present.