A receptor for 'self' on lymphocytes

Abstract

A large population of lymphocytes is able to form rosettes with syngeneic, allogeneic or closely related xenogeneic erythrocytes. Similar results were found with spleen cells from mice, rats and rabbits. The highest numbers were found in mice where up to 30% of lymphocytes bound autologous erythrocytes. Rosette formation is probably due to stereospecific cell surface receptors since erythrocytes of distant xenogeneic origin were not recognized. Rosette forming cells do not seem to be restricted to the B-cell or T-cell compartment since mouse thymus cells as well as spleen cells from congenitally athymic (nude) mice bound erythrocytes to a similar degree.