Surface structures influencing the migration in vivo ecotaxis of murine thymocytes, T- and B-cells

The effect of protease and neuraminidase treatment on the ecotaxis of radioactively labelled thymocytes, T- and B-cells was studied by scintillation counting and autoradiography. Each enzyme had a similar effect on all cell types. Both protease and neuraminidase treatment strongly reduced the migration to the lymph nodes while the distribution to the spleen was more profoundly reduced by neuraminidase than by protease. In contrast, a similar and less pronounced effect of the enzymatic treatments on the circulation to the Peyers patches was found. The possible structure of the surface "receptors" involved is discussed in view of the known effects of these enzymes on the cell membranes.