PRODUCTION OF SHEEP ERYTHROCYTE ROSETTE FORMING CELLS BY LYMPHOCYTES CULTURED WITH LEUCOCYTE DIALYSATES

Abstract

This chapter elaborates the production of sheep erythrocyte rosette forming cells (ERFC) by lymphocytes cultured with leucocyte dialysates. The possibility that low molecular weight substances, transfer factor among others present in dialysates of human peripheral blood might have similar properties is examined. The data suggest that leucocyte dialysate does not augment in vitro the number of sheep erythrocyte rosette forming cells which can be detected in short-term lymphocyte cultures. Dialysate does appear to augment the synthesis of the sheep cell receptor during the first three hours of culture. The effect of trypsinization and the effect of autologous plasma on the number of ERFC found in short term culture is studied. In plasma-free medium, viability after 24 h was markedly reduced although the percentage of rosette forming cells did not change. It is found that when 15% plasma was included in the culture medium, viability was preserved over the 24-h period and percentage ERFC remained stable.