Liver and immune responses. IV. Characteristics of the liver cell-lymphocyte interaction

Rat liver cells prepared by collagenase treatment and separated by density gradient centrifugation with Ficoll-Hypaque solution (specific gravity 1.120), containing only hepatocytes (80%) and Kupffer cells (20%), were found to stimulate strongly Ag-B-incompatible lumphocytes without 2-mercaptoethanol in culture. The same liver cells could also stimulate Ag-B-compatible lymphocytes in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. A positive response was only seen when the liver cell numbers were 1 approximately 2% of the responding lymphocytes. Viable liver cells inhibited the reaction in a two-way culture.