Summary
Cultures of blood lymphocytes incubated with and without phytohemagglutinin (PHA) were examined under light- and electron microscope. The following types of cells were found: a) small and medium size lymphocytes, b) large, RNA-rich, stimulated cells and c) macrophages.
The PHA-cells of healthy individuals are large, showing a nucleus with nucleolus and a cytoplasma rich in free granules, but poor in ergastoplasma. Occasionally vacuoles of various sizes and osmiophilic inclusions are seen. Under light microscope these cells are similar to blastlike cells. Electron-microscopically the morphology of the PHA-stimulated cells is variable. We observed a) lymphoblast-like cells, b) immunoblast-like cells and c) macrophages. Our observations revealed, that only a part of the in vitro stimulated PHA-cells resembles immunocompetent cells. According to morphologic criteria the production of immunglobluins in vitro seems to be limited.
Zusammenfassung
Kulturen von Blutlymphocyten mit und ohne Zusatz von Phytohämagglutinin (PHA) wurden im Licht-bzw. Elektronenmikroskop untersucht. Es fanden sich: a) kleine und mittelgroße Lymphocyten, b) große RNS-reiche, durch PHA stimulierte Zellen und c) Makrophagen. Die PHA-Zellen lassen sich lichtmikroskopisch als „blastenartig“ bezeichnen. Im Elektronenmikroskop ist ihre Morphologie nicht einheitlich. Wir fanden lymphoblasten- und immunoblastenähnliche PHA-Zellen. Zu den Makrophagen könnten fließende Übergänge bestehen. Offenbar nur ein Teil der in vitro entstehenden PHA-Zellen kann den in vivo, immunkompetenten“ Zellen gleichgesetzt werden.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literatur
Airò, R., eG. Astaldi: Recenti requisizioni sulla reattività del linfocito. Haemat. lat. (Milano)10, 209 (1967).
Elves, M. W.: The Lymphocytes. London: Lloyd-Duke-Press 1966.
—,J. Gough, J. A. Chapman, andM. C. G. Israëls: Electron microscopy studies of lymphocytes. Transformation under the influence of Phytohaemagglutinin. Lancet1964 I, 306.
Epstein, M. A., B. G. Achong, Y. M. Barr, B. Zajak, G. Henle, andW. Henle: Morphological and virological investigations on cultures Burkitt tumor lymphoblasts. J. nat. Cancer Inst.37, 547 (1966).
Granboulan, N.: Étude au microscope électronique des cellules de la lignée lymphocytaire normale. Rev. Hémat.15, 52 (1960).
Harris, T. N., K. Hummeler, andS. Harris: Electron microscopic observations of antibody producing lymph node cells. J. exp. Med.123, 161 (1966).
MacKinney, A. A., F. Stohlman, andG. Brecher: The kinetics of cell proliferations in cultures of human peripheral blood. Blood19, 349 (1962).
Marshall, W. H., andK. B. Roberts: The growth and mitosis of human small lymphocytes with a phytohaemagglutinin. Quart. J. exp. Physiol.48, 146 (1963).
Movat, H. Z., andV. P. Fernando: The fine structure of lymphoid tissue. Exp. Mol. Pathol.3, 546 (1964).
— —: The fine structure of lymphoid tissue during Antibody formation. Exp. mol. Pathol.4, 155 (1965).
Nowell, P. C.: Phytohaemagglutinin: an initiator of mitosis in cultures of normal human leucocytes. Cancer Res.20, 462 (1962).
Orfanos, C., u.G. K. Steigleder: Tumorbildende kutane Form des Morbus Waldenström. Dtsch. med. Wschr.92, 1449 (1967).
Parker, J. W., H. Wakasa, andR. J. Lukes: Cytoplasmic fibrils in mixed lymphocyte cultures. Blood29, 609 (1967).
Scheurlen, P. G.: Synthesis of some serum protein in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes. Nature (Lond.)217, 1267 (1968).
—,A. Pappas u.T. Ludwig: Stimulation der Blutlymphozyten durch Phytohaemagglutinin bei chronischer Lymphadenose, Lymphosarkomatose und Lymphogranulomatose. Klin. Wschr.46, 483 (1968).
Tanaka, Y., L. B. Epstein, G. Brecher, andF. Stohlman: Transformation of lymphocytes in cultures of human peripheral blood. Blood22, 614 (1963).
Trowell, O. A.: Ultrastructural changes in lymphocytes exposed to noxious agents in vitro. Quart. J. exp. Physiol.51, 207 (1966).
Wyllie, J. C.: Electron microscopy of cellular changes observed in lymph nodes of the guinea pig during the development of contact sensitivity. Rev. canad. Biol.25, 195 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Für die Unterstützung der Untersuchungen danken wir der Stiftung Volkswagenwerk und der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Wir danken Frau H.Neubauer und Fräulein T.Ludwig für die technische Assistenz.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Orfanos, C., Pappas, A. & Scheurlen, P.G. Blutlymphocyten im Licht- und Elektronenmikroskop nach Stimulation mit Phytohämagglutinin. Z. Gesamte Exp. Med. 149, 283–293 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02044578
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02044578