title: Age dependence of subpopulations and functions of human peripheral lymphocytes.
abstract: The eventual dependency of a series of immune parameters on age has been studied in a material of 288 normal persons, divided into 2 sexes and with 16 persons in each 5-year age interval between 5 and 95 years, using a cryobiological freezing and storage system for lymphocytes with subsequent testing in large series. Lymphocyte transformation responses were studied after stimulation with a series of mitogens and specific antigens (PHA, PWM, PPD, Con A, SA, EC, CA and SK/SD), as well as with allogene cells in mixed lymphocyte culture. Values were found to decrease with increasing age. No age-dependency could be demonstrated for T and B lymphocytes using rosette formation tests. There was no difference between the two sexes. Thus, increasing age does not change the distribution between T and B lymphocytes, but does lead to a decrease in the function of the cell-mediated response.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013299:Streptodornase and Streptokinase / Q000494:pharmacology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D014373:Tuberculin; D003208:Concanavalin A; D013299:Streptodornase and Streptokinase