The interaction of lymphocytes with autologous red cells

There is a relatively large degree of adherence of rabbit thymocytes to autologous or homologous mature and nucleated red cells, but not to heterologous red cells. The adherence is augmented by sera and a variety of protein solutions. It is inhibited by 4 × 10⁻³M iodoacetate or pretreatment of red cells by 0.01 to 0.5 per cent trypsin solution. Thymocytes obtained from one- to 7-day-old rabbits adhere to rabbit red cells to a larger extent than do thymocytes of adult rabbits. Significant autologous or homologous thymocyte-red cell adherence also occurred in the rat but not in the mouse or guinea pig. Heterologous adherence was not evident except in mixtures containing guinea pig thymocytes and rabbit red cells or mouse thymocytes and rat red cells. It is postulated that the adherence of thymocytes to the red cells occurs through nonimmune mechanisms and that it is likely to affect the homing patterns of the lymphocytes.