Enhancement of E Rosette Formation by Incubation of Lymphocytes in Cerebrospinal Fluid Dilutions

Abstract

Lymphocytes from normal donors were incubated for 4 h at 37 °C in dilutions of normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS), before being tested for ‘active’ and ‘total’ sheep erythrocyte rosette-forming cells (E-RFC). Incubation in CSF dilutions caused an increase in the percentage of both ‘active’ and ‘total’ E-RFC compared to incubation in HBSS. Incubation in HBSS caused a decrease in ‘total’ but not in ‘active’ E-RFC percentages. CSF thus effects an increase in the ability to form E-RFC under sub-optimal conditions. No mitogenic effect of CSF was observed in lymphocyte culture experiments.