A reliable method for reconstituting thymectomized, lethally irradiated guinea pigs with bone marrow cells

We developed a reliable method for reconstituting thymectomized, lethally irradiated guinea pigs. Injection of 2.5 − 10 × 10⁷ syngeneic bone marrow cells into adult thymectomized, lethally irradiated guinea pigs produced survival of 46–100% of treated animals. Gentamycin sulfate (5 mg/kg of body weight) for 10 days was required for optimal results. Acidified drinking water (pH 2.5) appeared to be required for optimal results. Thymectomized, lethally irradiated, bone marrow reconstituted (‘B’) guinea pigs had impaired ability to develop delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to mycobacterial antigens and cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity to keyhole limpet hemocyanin; proliferative responses to phytohemmagglutinin were impaired.