Abstract
Summary
In PHA-induced blastogenesis of mouse spleen lymphocytes cultured in a medium supplemented with serum, the specific response obtained with any combination of these three variables was governed by their relative concentrations, indicating that the three factors interacted with each other.
The PHA-binding function of serum exerted a buffering effect which was expressed as a suppression of the activity of very low concentrations of PHA and as a tolerance of levels of PHA which otherwise would have been inhibitory. The PHA-binding caapcity of lymphocytes resulted in a similar effect.
A medium containing no supplement supported a moderate degree of blastogenesis. Supplementation with either serum albumin, gelatin or methylcellulose provided a chemically defined medium which supported blastogenesis nearly as well as with whole serum. However, cells in such media were very sensitive to the toxic effects of PHA in concentrations above a sharply defined maximum.
The technical assistance of Mrs. P. Buzzerd and Mr. R. Varga is gratefully acknowledged.
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