Immunologic Study of Antibody-Forming Cells in Mouse Radiation Chimeras

The capability of long-term mouse radiation chimeras to produce sheep-RBC agglutinins was greater in isologous than in homologous combinations. This was the case for both fetal liver and bone marrow chimeras. In homologous chimeras the spleen cells responsible for agglutinin production were of donor type, regardless of hemopoietic tissues and strain combinations used. Fetal liver and adult bone marrow contained potential or actual antibody-forming cells which, transplanted into irradiated host, conferred to it an immune system of donor type. The immune response of donor cells transplanted from homologous chimera spleens into irradiated recipients was qualitatively normal, but quantitatively subnormal.