T and B lymphocytes in the marmoset: a natural haemopoietic chimera

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 536 - 543
• Main Authors: Niblack, G D, Gengozian, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.03.1976
• Subjects: Animals; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Callitrichinae - blood; Callitrichinae - immunology; Chimera; Erythrocytes - immunology; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Immune Adherence Reaction; Leukocyte Count; Male; Mosaicism; Neuraminidase; Sheep - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249

The thymus-derived (T) lymphocyte and bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocyte populations of the marmoset were characterized using specific cell surface markers Approximately 85% of the thymocyates formed rosettes with neuraminidase-treated sheep erythrocytes (En). The percentage (approximately 69%) of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) forming rosettes with En was the same as that which stained with fluorescently labelled goat anti-marmoset thymocyte serum (ATS). These two assays identified the same cell population since treatment of cells with ATS and complement resulted in a concomitant decrease in En rosette formation. Marmoset PBL also formed rosettes with human erythrocytes sensitized with antibody and complement (HEAC); since the percentage (approximately 20%) HEAC rosette was the same as that of cells stained with fluorescently labelled goat anti-marmoset IgG, these cells were considered to be B cells. A small percentage of cells (approximately 1-5%) possessed both types of receptors. The mean percentages of T and B cells present in PBL of single-born, presumably non-chimeric animals, were the same as that of iso-sexual and heterosexual chimeras.