title: Measurement of polyclonal and antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell function.
abstract: Measurement of in vitro cytotoxic function of human T cells can be accomplished by polyclonal stimulation of T cell effectors using anti-CD3 antibody, which stimulates all cytolytic effector cells, or with a specific stimulating antigen. Accordingly, two sets of assays of cytolytic T cell function are described in this unit, one for measuring anti-CD3-mediated cytotoxicity and the other for measuring antigen-specific cytotoxicity. Although the calcein release assay (CARE-LASS) described here is for use with antigen-activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) as well as natural killer (NK) or lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, minor changes in the protocols that address polyclonal T cell activation are described that make them suitable for use with calcein-labeled target cells.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Biddison
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lichtenfels
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adibzadeh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte