Immunologically Competent Cells in Adult Mouse Liver

Summary

1. Implantation into irradiated (C57BL X 101) F₁ hybrids of viable liver cells from adult donor mice of the parental strains caused a wasting disease followed by death in over 90% of the recipients. 2. This “foreign liver disease” occurred after a sublethal dose of radiation was given to the recipients or after a lethal dose followed by infusion of isologous bone marrow. It did not occur in nonirradiated recipients but occurred in only 26% of sublethally irradiated F₁ hybrids infused with isologous bone marrow. 3. In a strain combination in which the F₁ hybrid was homozygous at the H-2 locus, and the parents should therefore have been antigenetically relatively compatible, the “foreign liver disease” occurred late after treatment and was enhanced by presensitization of the donor to the reciprocal parent of the hybrid. It was shown that radiation dose and liver cell dose were inter-related factors in determining the development of the disease. 4. Deaths are ascribed to an in vivo immunologic reaction after antibody production by the grafted parental cells against F₁ antigens. Nevertheless, there is evidence of a possible immune response by the F₁ hybrid against the parent.

We are grateful to Mr. W. D. Gude and Mr. T. Mack for the histological preparations.