Morphological, cytochemical autoradiographic and quantitative studies of the cells in lymphocyte cultures with added tuberculin]

Lymphocyte culture experiments with purified tuberculin showed a transformation of small lymphocytes into medium sized, large and very large basophilic cells. During cell growth RNA synthesis and acid phosphatase activity increased. Some of the very large basophilic cells synthesized DNA. During the first and second day of culture experiment also medium sized and large weakly basophilic cells increased, which have a pale plasma and azurophilic granules. These cells did not synthesize DNA and showed only a low incorporation of 3H-uridine. The results of our experiments indicate a transformation of medium sized and large basophilic cells not synthesizing DNA into weakly basophilic (pale) cells showing azurophilic granules. In contrast to the lymphocyte culture experiments with tuberculin lymphocyte cultures without tuberculin showed no significant increase of medium sized, large and very large basophilic cells and of weakly basophilic cells.