Ontogeny Of Immunity Research Articles

Ontogeny of cellular immunity in the human fetus: Development of responses to phytohemagglutinin and to allogeneic cells

Human fetal lymphoid cells from thymus, spleen, blood, liver, and bone marrow of 22 fetuses (5–19 weeks of fetal age) were studied for their ability to respond to phytohemagglutinin and to adult allogeneic lymphocytes by the mixed lymphocyte reaction. The earliest detectable response was that by hepatic cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction at 7.5 weeks of fetal age. Phytohemagglutinin reactivity was initially seen in the thymus at 10 weeks, in blood at 14.5 weeks, and in spleen at 13 weeks. Mixed lymphocyte reaction reactivity was first detected in the thymus at 12.5 weeks; it appeared somewhat later in peripheral organs. Few significant responses to phytohemagglutinin were detected in bone marrow or hepatic cells, and virtually no response to allogeneic cells was found in bone marrow. All lymphoid cells studied showed stimulatory ability in the mixed lymphocyte reaction. However, spleen, blood, and marrow cells produced higher stimulation of allogeneic cells than did thymic or hepatic cells.

Ontogeny of cellular immunity: Size and turnover of rat thymocytes responsive to in vitro stimulation

Velocity sedimentation of thymus cell suspensions prepared from Wistar rats of different ages has been used to separate cells mainly on the basis of size. Large cells, many in division, sediment faster than the major population of small thymocytes and can be separated from them on this basis. In vitro responsiveness to mitogens has been found to be associated with the minor populations of larger cells, particularly the medium-large cells (230–270 μm 3). The mitogen-responsive populations also contain cells which show a high autonomous DNA synthesis. The size distribution of thymus cells in neonatal animals is more varied than in adults and there is frequently a higher proportion of large cells. The mitogen-responsive cells were again found among the fast sedimenting large cells and the highest responses were seen with the very largest cells (approximately 450 μm 3). The cells in both adult and neonatal animals which have the capacity to respond to mitogens in vitro are probably larger in size than the normal peripheral recirculating thoracic duct cells. The major population of normal small thymocytes showed a much lower spontaneous uptake of 3H-thymidine and did not respond to mitogens.

Ontogeny of cellular immunity: Development in rat thymocytes of mixed lymphocyte reactivity to allogeneic and xenogeneic cells

The one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction of rat thymocytes to allogeneic cells was studied, using ACT and Fischer rat strains. Mitomycin-treated thymocytes or thymocytes from F 1-hybrid rats were used as the stimulating cells. The reactivity of neonatal rat thymus cells was somewhat lower than that of adult rat thymocytes, but was nevertheless quite significant. No reactivity could be determined in neonatal rat thymocytes to mitomycintreated xenogeneic (mouse) cells, although thymocytes from 7-day-old rats reacted equally well to allogeneic and xenogeneic cells. Graft-versus-host reactivity of both rat and mouse thymus cells was also determined. It was found that neonatal and adult rat thymocytes, as well as adult mouse thymocytes, could induce splenomegaly in neonatal mice, but not in neonatal rats. The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of recent theories linking reactivity to histocompatibility antigens to antibody formation.

Ontogeny of Immunity, edited by R. T. Smith, M.D., R. A. Good, M.D., and P. A. Miescher, M.D. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press, 1967, 208 pp. $15.00

It has been stated that the adaptability of higher organisms to environmental changes and stress is most vividly manifested by the organization of mind, the detoxifying versatility of liver, and the responsiveness of immune mechanisms. Thus, the evolutionary and developmental aspects of any of these systems are of broad biological interest, beyond the realm of the molecular biologists and their now incisive comprehension of E. coli. In two successive volumes the editors have assembled a distinguished collection of presentations in the balmy isolation of Sanibel Island, Florida.

1541. Apholate and the breakfast egg

Two experiments were performed to determine the effect of in ovo melatonin supplementation on the ontogeny of immunity in the Large White turkey poult. Different levels of melatonin were injected into the air cell of the egg 4 days prior to hatch. In Experiment 1, turkey embryos received 3 ml of solution containing 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, or 1 μg/ml of melatonin. The hatchability at each dose was determined and compared to vehicle-injected controls. In Experiment 2, only poults from melatonin treatments in Experiment 1 that resulted in normal hatchability (10 and 1 μg/ml) were used. Lymphoproliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA-P) and primary antibody responses to Chukar red blood cells (CRBC) were determine at five time intervals: 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21 days post-hatch. At each of these times, including 28 days post-hatch, treatment effects on body weights were determined. At 28 days post-hatch, bursal, thymic, and splenic weights were obtained. In ovo melatonin administration significantly accelerated (P ⩽ 0.05) the development of cell-mediated (PHA-P) and humoral (CRBC) immune responses, and these responses were significantly elevated above vehicle-injected controls through 21 days post-hatch. No effect was observed on bursal, thymic, splenic or body weights. These data suggest that embryonic exposure to melatonin enhances post-hatch immune development and responsiveness.

Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Adaptive Immunity

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the ontogeny and phylogeny of adaptive immunity, including the acquisition of passive and active immunity by the developing fetus in relation to the phylogenetic development of active immunologic responses and relates immunologic capacity to the function of the thymus and of the bursa of Fabricus. The development of the lymphoid system plays a key role in development of the potential for adaptive immune response. Absence of the thymus during the period of development of the peripheral lymphoid tissues results in both abnormal lymphoid development and immunologic deficiency. In phylogeny, the data suggest that the transition to adaptive immunity occurs in the lower vertebrates and that it is paralleled by the development of a lymphoid thymus, other organized lymphoid tissues, and the lymphoid system of cells. The ontogenesis of immunity is discussed in terms of the following relationships and processes : interrelationship of fetus and mother, particularly serum immunoglobulin and antibody transfer; the beginning production of immunoglobulins during fetal and neonatal life; the origins of antibody-producing capacity and ability to initiate and express delayed allergic responses; the development of capacity for homograft rejection and the decrease of susceptibility to production of tolerance in the fetal and neonatal period; and the key role of the thymus and other central lymphoid tissue in the ontogeny of the lymphoid system and adaptive immunity. The studies of the lower fishes havenot been sufficiently comprehensive particularly with the more sophisticated methods of protein chemistry that are yielding such important information concerning the nature and interrelationships of the immunoglobulins.

Introduction

Previous articleNext article No AccessSymposium on Immunogenetic Concepts in Marine Population ResearchIntroductionJohn E. CushingJohn E. Cushing Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 96, Number 889Jul. - Aug., 1962 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/282224 Views: 2Total views on this site Citations: 4Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:F. M. Utter Biochemical genetics and fishery management: an historical perspective, Journal of Fish Biology 39 (Jan 2006): 1–20.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1991.tb05063.xCarl J. Sindermann, George E. Krantz Erythrocyte antigens and natural isoagglutinins of the American eel,Anguilla rostrata, from Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Science 9, no.22 (Jun 1968): 94–98.https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02688383HAROLD O. HODGINS, GEORGE J. RIDGWAY Preservation of Trout and Salmon Erythrocytes for Blood Typing by Freezing with Dimethyl Sulphoxide, Nature 201, no.49264926 (Mar 1964): 1336–1337.https://doi.org/10.1038/2011336a0Robert A. Good, Ben W. Papermaster Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Adaptive Immunity, (Jan 1964): 1–115.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2776(08)60706-3