Kinetics of MHC class II and transferrin receptor expression by colostral cells stimulated in vitro with concanavalin...

The colostral cells, regarded generally as being protective, have been shown to differ in a number of membrane properties (rosetting, adherence, mobility) from the corresponding peripheral blood mononuclear cells. After in vitro stimulation with Con A or MBP 50% to 70% of the human colostral cells appeared HLA-DR positive at the first 24 h of culturing. The CD71 expression reached a maximum on culture days 2-3 coinciding with the maximal proliferative response. With regard to the phenotypic characteristics and their kinetics, the human colostral cells did not show significant differences from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells.