Accessory cell requirements in mitogen-induced rabbit T lymphocyte proliferation in an improved tissue culture system.
The impact of an improved culture medium (IMDM+), consisting of Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium supplemented with albumin, transferrin, insulin, zinc, 2-mercapthoethanel, and 0.1% fetal bovine serum was investigated in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced rabbit T cell proliferation. At the number of 2 X 10(5) cells/well purified T lymphocytes cultured in IMDM+ responded 3 to 10 times better than lymphocytes cultured in serum-supplemented RPMI 1640 medium. In these conditions, PHA-induced proliferation seemed not to require the presence of accessory cells. However, at lower cell numbers, T cell proliferation was more efficient when calculated on a per cell basis. At these low cell numbers, optimal proliferation required accessory cells like macrophages or dendritic cells. The apparent absence of this requirement for accessory cells at high T cell concentrations may be explained by the contribution of contaminating macrophages and dendritic cells in the purified T cell fractions.
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D003470:Culture Media; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D003470:Culture Media; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins