Qualitative and quantitative Con A binding to mouse lymphocytes, T cell enriched spleen cells and allogeneically...

The qualitative and quantitative Con A binding behaviour of mouse spleen cells and allogeneically stimulated lymphocytes was investigated by means of fluorescence-optical and cell-electrophoretical methods. Contrary to B lymphocytes and unstimulated cultured T lymphocytes, normal as well as allogeneically stimulated T cells show a decreased electrophoretic mobility after incubation with Con A. This decrease correlates with a higher affinity and specificity to Con A on the one side and with a functional signal of Con A on the other side. Incubation with Con A is a stimulating signal for normal T lymphocytes and a suppressive one for allogeneically stimulated lymphocytes. The 3H-thymidine incorporation of B lymphocytes and unstimulated T cells is not influenced by Con A in spite of Con A binding. The amount of bound molecules is not of decisive importance for the mitogenic cultivated properties of Con A.