Metabolism of I 131 -Labeled Tobacco Mosaic Virus in Spleen and Liver. ∗

Summary

Rate of disappearance of injected I¹³¹-labeled TMV was more rapid from spleen, an important site of antibody production, than from liver, which produces little or no antibody. It was concluded, therefore, that persistence of the virus is not in direct relation to the tissue's antibody-producing capacity. The need for studies at cellular level was indicated. In regenerating liver, total radioactivity was not significantly influenced by increased mitotic rate. This was interpreted as indicating that virus localized in liver may be retained during cell division.