Mode of Recovery from the Effects of Heterologous Anti-Lymphocyte Serum II. RECOVERY OF THE CELLS INVOLVED IN ANTIBODY PRODUCTION.

The ability of spleen, lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocytes to produce antibody against sheep red blood cells is decreased following administration of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum (ALS). Cells located within the thymus are unaffected while marrow cells are affected in varying degrees, depending on the ALS used. immunological competence is restored to the marrow cell population of an ALS-treated animal before there is any significant repair of the immunological deficits which are present in its spleen, lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocyte populations. For this and other reasons it is suggested that these deficits are repaired by migration of cells from the ALS-treated animal's own thymus and marrow. The rates at which they are repaired appear to be retarded by the presence of Lee heterologous immunosuppressive antibody in the animal's circulation, and the degree of retardation seems to be directly proportional to the potency of the immunosuppressive material present and the duration for which it remains in the circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]