Cyclic nucleotides in chicken bursocytes and thymocytes

Bursocytes and thymocytes of chickens previously subjected to surgical removal of thymus or bursa Fabrici or to rtg irradiation, were analyzed for the level of cyclic nucleotides. As observed, regardless of the origin of the lymphocytes cells, cAMP was quantitatively prevailing; cGMP amount was smaller in most cases. As for the absolute values, the level of cyclic nucleotides was highest in bursocytes and lowest in peripheral blood lymphocytes (control). Biological consequences of these relations were discussed.