title: Functional lymphocytes in the chicken pineal gland.
abstract: The primary antibody response of lymphoid tissue occupying the pineal gland of 6-wk-old chickens was studied subsequent to injection of the carotid artery with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or bovine serum albumin (BSA). Injection of SRBC did not produce plaque-forming cells (PFC) among pineal lymphocytes whereas BSA stimulated synthesis of anti-BSA immunoglobulin in pineal lymphoid tissue. A cytotoxic assay using appropriate anti-lymphocyte sera indicated that single-cell suspensions of pineal lymphocytes were composed of 42% B lymphocytes and 51% T lymphocytes. Bursal and thymic lymphocytes labeled with tritiated thymidine migrated into pineal lymphoid tissue when injected into 4- and 5-wk-old naive chicks. These observations indicate that the bursa and thymus make equivalent contributions to the lymphoid mass in the chicken pineal gland. Challenge of pineal-established lymphocytes by antigen introduced via the blood vascular system suggests that soluble antigens--rather than particulate ones--stimulate antibody production in the pineal gland. Collectively, these studies indicate that the pineal gland should be considered as a functional component of the chicken's lymphomyeloid system.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D002465:Cell Movement; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D011754:Pyronine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011754:Pyronine