title: Peanut agglutinin as a marker of maturation and activation of chicken thymic-derived lymphocytes.
abstract: In mammals peanut agglutinin (PNA) is used for separation of lymphocytes into immature and mature T-cells. Lymphocytes that bind PNA are young and functionally immature, but the cells that do not bind PNA are considered mature. No conclusive information was published on PNA as a marker of lymphocytes maturation in chickens. The present results showed that T-lymphocytes that do not bind PNA (PNA-) responded significantly higher to Concanavalin A (Con-A) stimulation than PNA+ ones. During Con-A activation, a PNA receptor was revealed. Double staining of Con-A cultured lymphocytes revealed the presence of both I-associated antigen and PNA. Therefore, the PNA receptor, on chicken T-lymphocytes, was not indicative always of immaturity. During maturation, the receptor was covered and the cells were PNA-, but subsequent proliferation reverted PNA- cells to PNA+ cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Uni
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Heller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010367:Arachis; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000032:analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D037102:Lectins; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; C038223:peanut agglutinin receptor; D003208:Concanavalin A