title: Antigen presentation by macrophages from adult thymectomised mice.
abstract: Recent claims that macrophages from adult thymectomised mice fail to mature to a stage where they can 'present' antigen were examined. Comparisons were made between the capacity of antigen-pulsed peritoneal exudate macrophages from adult thymectomised and normal mice to elicit both primary and secondary lymphoproliferative responses in vitro, and to prime lymph node cells for antigen-specific recruitment in vivo. Macrophages from thymectomised donors were partially deficient in their capacity to activate naive or immune T-cells in vitro but were nevertheless capable of emitting a significant immunogenic signal. These results suggest partial, but not absolute T-cell regulation of the immunogenic function(s) of exudate macrophage populations.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013934:Thymectomy
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010047:Ovalbumin