Immunological studies of Aging. III. Cytokinetic basis for the impaired response of lymphocytes from aged humans to plant lectins.
The basis for the age-associated defect in the response of lymphocytes to plant lectins has been studied. Using three independent assays we have shown that the number of mitogen-responsive cells is markedly reduced in lymphocyte preparations from old persons. In addition, studies using colchicine bloock and thymidine pulse techniques have revealed a failure of mitogen-responsive cells from old persons to expand into a proliferating pool of lymphocytes as is observed when lymphocytes from young persons are cultured with phytohemagglutinin. Thus, the impaired response of lymphocytes from old persons to mitogens is attributable to a reduced number of mitogen responsive cells and their failure to undergo clonal expansion.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008934:Mitogens; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
D037102:Lectins; D008934:Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003078:Colchicine; D013936:Thymidine