Primary in vitro cytotoxic T cell response to non-major histocompatibility complex alloantigens in normal mice.

Abstract

It is possible to consistently generate a primary in vitro cytotoxic T cell (Tc) response to non-major histocompatibility complex alloantigens using responder cells from a normal mouse strain. This is achieved by carrying out, in the generating phase, a limiting dilution procedure in which it appears that suppressor cells that inhibit Tc activation or expansion are too dilute to manifest their effect. The response was observed in mouse serum (MS)- and fetal calf serum (FCS)-supplemented media, an important finding in the light of the anomalous nonspecific effect induced by FCS. The cytotoxic response produced in MS-supplemented media was highly specific in both the generating and effector phases, whereas the responses in FCS had a strong nonspecific component.