Studies on T-cells of the lizard, Calotes versicolor: adherent and non-adherent populations of the spleen

Abstract

The Nylon-wool adherent and non-adherent populations of splenocytes obtained from both normal and immunized lizards were subjected to treatment with heterologous anti-thymocyte serum (ATS) and their capacity to migrate in-vitro out of capillary tubes and to mediate cell mediated immunity (CMI) as adjudged by migration inhibition method studied. It was found that the non-adherent splenocytes migrate faster and this migration is inhibited by ATS treatment. Further, the property of mediating antigen specific migration inhibition (MI) resides with this non-adherent population and this property is abolished by ATS treatment. In contrast, the adherent splenocytes migrate little, do not mediate MI and are not susceptible to ATS. It is clear from the study that the non-adherent splenocyte population is enriched for ATS sensitivity and that the same population from immunized lizards is effective in inhibiting migration of indicator splenocytes in the presence of antigen. These cells may very well be a population of T-cells similar to that of higher vertebrates.