Binding of autologous erythrocytes to immature T-cells.
A small percentage of normal mouse thymus and spleen lymphocytes form rosettes with autologous erythrocytes. The number of these autologous rosettes increases 15- to 20-fold after adult thymectomy and to a lesser degree with aging. Autologous rosette level is also abnormally high in nude (congenitally athymic) mice. The high level of autologous rosette-forming cells found after adult thymectomy is normalized by injecting ng amounts of purified circulating thymic factor. Autologous rosette-forming cells adhere to nylon, belong to the less dense spleen cells, are in majority steroid-resistant in the thymus. All these properties suggest that autologous rosette-forming cells might belong to immature T-cell (thymic-dependent cell) precursors.
D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007104:Immune Adherence Reaction; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D006854:Hydrocortisone