MOUSE MACROPHAGES AS HOST CELLS FOR THE MOUSE HEPATITIS VIRUS AND THE GENETIC BASIS OF THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY

Abstract

A virulent strain of mouse hepatitis virus is shown to have a selective destructive effect on the macrophages cultured from the liver and other tissues of newborn mice, and no apparent effect on the fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Tissue susceptibility seems therefore to be a property of the reticulo-endothelial system. Cultures obtained from resistant strains of mice showed no destruction of macrophages, whereas susceptible strains of mice yielded macrophages which were destroyed in culture. Tests of hybrids resulting from crosses between resistant and susceptible strains indicate that susceptibility is inherited and that genetic segregation of susceptibility and resistance occurs in the F2 and backcross generations. This is apparent both in the mice themselves and in cultures obtained from the different genetic crosses.