Evidence that thymectomized, bone marrow-reconstituted rats do not reject their allografts

We have investigated the reasons why thymectomized, bone marrow-reconstituted (B) rats do not reject their allografts, by comparing the structure of inflammation and functions of inflammatory cells in nonrejecting allografts to rejecting allografts in normal control recipients. The results demonstrate that B recipients mount a specific cellular response towards the graft. The response in B recipients differs from that in normal controls by a smaller intensity of inflammation, fewer blast cells, and activated mononuclear phagocytes in the inflammatory infiltrate, as well as a delay in the appearance of specific donor-directed lytic activity in the graft. B rats also have fewer blast cells and an inverted CD4/8 ratio in the spleen. There is no obvious absence of any given cell type or cellular function in the graft inflammatory infiltrate. In light of these results no cell type responsible for allograft nonrejection can be pinpointed.