| Abstract: | A modified ICA technique was used to study the kinetics and morphology of the RFC response in rat popliteal lymph nodes after an inoculation of SRBC into the hind footpad. The primary response was followed over a 10-day period. RFC were classified as either macrophages, haemocytoblasts, plasmacytes or lymphocytes.RFC present in the popliteal lymph nodes of uninoculated rats were identified as macrophages and lymphocytes. After inoculation the number of RFC rose rapidly to reach a peak at 5–6 days. It was shown that after incubation at 37° certain RFC from inoculated rats had several layers of adherent SRBC and it was suggested that this was an indication of an active secretion of haemagglutinin. 3–4 days after innoculation large mature haemocytoblasts were actively secreting haemagglutinin whilst from the 5th to the 10th day plasmacytes were the RFC involved in the haemagglutinin production. It is suggested that the large haemagglutinin producing haemocytoblasts arise without mitosis via a process of cell transformation and that RF plasmacytes arise via lymphocyte activation into small haemocytoblasts, mitotic division and eventual maturation into immature plasmacytes. RF lymphocytes were thought not to be involved to any extent in haemagglutinin production. |
