title: Studies on natural killer (NK) cells. Heterogeneity of NK cells in beige mutant mice.
abstract: Mice homozygous for the recessive beige mutation show grossly impaired natural killer (NK) activity against lymphoma targets in short term assays. When spleen cells from homozygous C57 BL/6 and B6C3F1 beige mutant mice were examined in assays of up to 30 h duration and tested with anti-NK-1 . 2 antiserum prior to assay, it was found (1) that the impaired NK-1 . 2+ (NKA) activity against lymphoma targets could be partially or wholly overcome by prolonging the assay time to greater than 12 h, (2) the NKA activity as revealed by prolonged assay times showed considerable variability in homozygous beige mutant mice (from greater than or equal to 4-fold less than to 2-fold greater than that of normal controls), (3) that NK-1 . 2- (NKB) activity against two non-lymphoma targets was normal in these mutant mice and (4) that two independently derived beige mutations had the same effects on NKA and NKB cell activity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile / Q000235:genetics*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006720:Homozygote; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology*; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015478:Antigens, Heterophile; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003165:Complement System Proteins