Mixed culture of human foetal and adult cells

Abstract

Normal and leukaemic lymphocytes from healthy donors and patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia exhibit increased DNA synthesis in `one way' cultures with foetal cells. Leukaemic blast cells do not react. Foetal thymocytes showed a marked response to both normal and leukaemic cells in mixed cultures. Leukaemic lymphocytes in particular caused a marked increase in [³H]thymidine uptake, suggesting a wider antigenic disparity between the leukaemic and thymic cells. Lesser increases of DNA synthesis were produced in foetal liver cells and none in spleen cells.