ASSOCIATION OF T CELLS WITH PROLIFERATING CELLS IN LYMPHOID FOLLICLES

Abstract

Frozen sections of lymph nodes from normal mice were examined by immunofluorescence with anti-T lymphocyte and anti-Ig reagents and by autoradiography following [3H]TdR [thymidine] administration. The scattered T lymphocytes present among B lymphocytes of primary follicles were mostly nonproliferating; the few proliferating cells in primary follicles are predominantly B lymphocytes. More than 1/2 (56%) of these proliferating B lymphocytes were in direct contact with a T lymphocyte; this incidence is 5-fold higher than that expected by random association. In germinal centers, virtually all proliferating cells were non-T lymphocytes. The association of proliferating B cells with T cells may result from specific cooperation between these 2 cell types. The data are discussed in the context of what is known of T/B collaboration and of primary follicles as a possible site of this interaction.