Hapten-specific stimulation of secondary B cells independent of T cells.
Treatment of spleen cell suspensions from immunized mice with anti-theta serum and complement before transfer to nonimmune irradiated recipients reduced the degree of in vitro stimulation by hapten-homologous carrier complexes by 90%, but did not decrease at all the number of isolated precursor cells stimulated by hapten on heterologous carriers. Thus, secondary B cells can be stimulated by low concentrations of multiply substituted hapten-carrier complexes in the apparent complete absence of specific T cells.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D006241:Haptens; D007106:Immune Sera; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D006241:Haptens; D007106:Immune Sera; D003165:Complement System Proteins