In vitro Cell Migration as a Model for Delayed Hypersensitivity.

Abstract

A study has been made of the abilities of peritoneal exudate cells and spleen cells to migrate from capillary tubes in a tissue culture system. In the presence of PPD, peritoneal exudate cells from animals sensitive to PPD failed to migrate normally, while spleen cells show no consistent response. Inhibition of peritoneal exudate cells in the presence of egg albumin occurred if sensitization had been performed so that delayed skin reactions to egg albumin existed. Inhibition did not occur when early (3–6 hr) edematous reactions to skin testing existed, when significant amounts of circulating antibody to egg albumin were demonstrable. Thus the ability of antigen to inhibit cell migration in tissue culture has been confirmed with peritoneal exudate cells for tuberculin hypersensitivity and this in vitro characteristic has been shown to apply also to the delayed hypersensitivity that develops after immunization with a protein antigen in Freund's adjuvant.