MIXED HEART CELL-LYMPHOCYTE REACTIONS AND GRAFT SURVIVALS IN AG-B-COMPATIBLE RATS1

Abstract
A method of dissociation of the rat heart cell for the mixed lymphocyte culture purpose is described. The treatment of the young rat heart with 0.1% collagenase-hyaluronidase solution yielded satisfactory heart cell suspension. The heart cells, thus obtained after mitomycin C treatment but not irradiation, stimulated allogeneic lymphocytes in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. In the Fischer to Lewis combination compatible at the Ag-B locus, strong reactions of Lewis lymphocytes to the dissociated heart and skin cells of the Fischer rat were related to the acute rejection of heart and skin grafts, while negative reactions by the kidney and spleen cells reflected a prolonged survival of the kidney graft. The role of skin- and heart-specific antigens in the rejection phenomenon is discussed.