Abstract
Summary
Thymectomies were done on the first day of life in NZB-NZW and NZB-NZC F1 hybrid mice. Sham thymectomized and nonthymectomized animals served as controls. Survival was somewhat shortened in thymectomized animals. The appearance of antinuclear antibodies, but not of Coombs positive hemolytic anemia was accelerated. There was little effect of thymectomy on the morphology of spleen and lymph nodes. When considered in relation to recent work on the bursa of Fabricius the results suggest that the mammalian analog of the bursa, rather than the thymus, may play a more important role in the pathogenesis of the murine autoimmune disease.
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