Effect of thymus grafts of various ages on the immune system formation in CBA mice.
An attempt has been made to govern the development of immunological capability in CBA mice by means of transplantation at an early postnatal period of thymus from donors of various ages. The results have shown that in thymectomized animals, apart from a well known gradual decline with the donor's age in restorative functions of the transplanted thymus, there was at the age of 22 months a phase of inhibitory influence on the recipient's immune system. In intact animals, transplantation of the thymus from a 5-day-old donor caused a decrease and that from a 22-month-old donor caused an increase in the development of the capacity for immune response. Taken together, our findings indicate an active role of the thymus both in the formation of the immune system and in its alteration with aging.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D007109:Immunity; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*