[Separation and immunological characterization of lymphocytes isolated from human appendix (author's transl)]

The isolation of viable lymphocytes from fresh human appendices is described. Under standardized experimental conditions of cell preparation no selective enrichment of either T- or B-lymphocytes was observed. The mean percentage of T-lymphocytes as judged by spontaneous rosette formation found in 34 appendices examined was 50.0%. After overnight incubation surface-Ig was detected by immunoradioautography on 46.8% of the recovered lymphocytes from 10 appendices. For the detection of surface-Ig specifically purified antibodies to heavy chains mu, gamma and alpha were used. Of the 46.8% surface-Ig positive lymphocytes the class distribution was as follows: IgM 17.7%, IgG 24.4% and IgA 4.7%. The isolated lymphocytes showed a variable mitotic response to PHA (stimulation index ranging from 3.3 to 200.9) as well as to allogeneic lymphocytes in a one-way mixed lymphocyte culture. So far, a distinct correlation could not be found between the histological degree of inflammation and the class or mitotic response of appendix lymphocytes.