The dermal response to killed and viable allogeneic and xenogeneic cells in the duck.

Abstract

SummaryThe response which followed the subcutaneous injection of allogeneic or xenogeneic cells into the duck was followed by measuring increases in skin thickness at the site over a period of 5‐7 days. It was shown that killing of allogeneic lymphoid cells with peroxide abrogates the local swelling that untreated cells produce. Xenogeneic lymphoid or non‐lymphoid cells also produced strong local reactions in the skin, but these reactions were not influenced by killing of these cell types with peroxide.It was suggested that the basis for the reactivity to allogeneic and xenogeneic cells in the duck was different, the former relying on an interaction of host tissue elements with donor lymphoid cells for which the viability of donor cells was a pre‐requisite. The latter response, however, represented a recognition of, and a response to, the antigens presented by xenogeneic cells. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that the duck has the capacity to respond peripherally to antigenic challenge.