Identification of collagenase in cultured blood mononuclear cells

Mononuclear cells isolated from peripheral whole blood were fractionated by erythrocyte-rosetting into T cells and non-T cell subpopulations which were tested for collagenase-producing capacity. Mononuclear cells and purified T lymphocytes, as well as non-T (B) lymphocytes, produced collagenase during serum-free culture. Removal of the macrophages from the non-T cells did not affect collagenase production by lymphocytes.