This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hojo, K. Articles by Ishitaki, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hojo, K. Articles by Ishitaki, M.

Lymphocyte proliferative response in vitro and its cellular dependency in guinea-pigs with experimental allergic orchitis

Summary. The development of cellular hypersensitivity was measured by the proliferative response of lymph node cells in vitro and a skin test to partly purified testicular antigen. There was a slight stimulation of lymph node cells and of the delayed cutaneous response at 1–2 weeks after sensitization with testicular antigen in Freund's complete adjuvant and then, after a decline in response, there was a pronounced peak at 6 weeks after sensitization. The early response coincided with the onset and active inflammatory stage of the effect on the testis, while the major peak was consistent with a state of aspermatogenesis.

The proliferative response of unseparated lymph node cells could not be attributed to the function of T or B cells acting alone, although at 6 weeks after sensitization B-cell populations did become slightly responsive to antigen. The response of T lymphocytes was enhanced by the presence of B lymphocytes or peritoneal macrophages at 2 and 6 weeks after sensitization, but B cells did not appear to interact with macrophages. We conclude that T cells are essential to the proliferative response of lymph node cells during the induction of experimental allergic orchitis in guinea-pigs.