Traffic and proliferative responses of recirculating lymphocytes in fetal calves

The thoracic duct or efferent prescapular duct was cannulated in four fetal calves aged 121-259 days post-conception. The duration of lymph flow ranged from 2 to 20 days and the mean flow rates sustained over these collection periods varied from 5.4 to 48.8 ml/hr. Lymphocyte output ranged from 4.4 x...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Immunology 1988-08, Vol.64 (4), p.621-626
Main Authors: HEIN, W. R, SHELTON, J. N, SIMPSON-MORGAN, M. W, MORRIS, B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Catheterization
Cattle - embryology
Cattle - immunology
Cell Division
Cell Movement
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Immunobiology
Interleukin-2 - biosynthesis
Lymph - immunology
Lymphatic System - embryology
Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
Lymphocytes - cytology
Lymphocytes - immunology
Lymphocytes - physiology
Lymphoid cells: ontogeny, maturation, markers, receptors, circulation and recirculation
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Summary:The thoracic duct or efferent prescapular duct was cannulated in four fetal calves aged 121-259 days post-conception. The duration of lymph flow ranged from 2 to 20 days and the mean flow rates sustained over these collection periods varied from 5.4 to 48.8 ml/hr. Lymphocyte output ranged from 4.4 x 10(6) cells/hr in thoracic duct lymph from a 121-day fetus to 3.9 x 10(8) cells/hr in efferent prescapular lymph from a 259-day fetus. The circulating lymphocyte pool in fetal calves of about 120 and 190 days gestational age was calculated to contain, respectively, 4 x 10(8) cells and 2 x 10(10) cells. The proportion of lymphocytes bearing surface immunoglobulin detected in fetal lymph ranged from 2.1% to 8.7%. Recirculating lymphocytes from fetal calves produced strong proliferative responses when stimulated by T-cell mitogens but responded poorly to B-cell mitogens. Fetal lymphocytes also responded to stimulation by allogeneic cells and stimulated other cells to proliferate during mixed lymphocyte culture. When stimulated with Con A, fetal lymphocytes secreted IL-2 to a degree that was indistinguishable from the secretory behaviour of lymphocytes from adult animals. The results presented in this paper show that chronic lymphatic fistulae can be established successfully in fetal calves to give access to recirculating lymphocytes. This provides a new experimental approach for studying the development of the bovine immune system.
ISSN:0019-2805
1365-2567