Role of the thymus in immune reactions in rats. II. Suppressive effect of thymectomy at birth on reactions of delayed (cellular) hypersensitivity and the circulating small lymphocyte.
In rats thymectomized at birth and tested in adult life, ability to develop autoallergic encephalomyelitis was completely suppressed, there was a marked diminution in the degree of tuberculin sensitization appearing after a single injection of mycobacteria in oil, rejection of skin homografts was markedly delayed, and adjuvant arthritis was not appreciably affected. At the same time there was a striking decrease in the circulating level of small lymphocytes.
D000818:Animals; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*
LYMPHOCYTES/physiology; THYMUS GLAND/physiology