Transformation of rat small lymphocytes with allogeneic lymphoid cells

Abstract

Blastogenesis was observed in cultures containing lymphoid cells of the thymus glands, spleens, lymph nodes, thoracic duct lymph and blood of two genetically dissimilar rat strains. In thymus cultures, the large and medium cells in the culture inoculum gave rise by division to small lymphocytes. The majority of the blast cells originated from the small lymphocytes of both donors, although not all small cells underwent transformation. Subsequently, some blasts divided, giving rise to more blast cells, while others served as precursors of small lymphocytes, thereby completing the cycle of small lymphocyte → blast→ small lymphocyte. Similar blastogenesis was observed in mixed cultures containing newborn thymic cells but was not observed in mixed splenic cultures until the donors were three days of age.