Antigen-activated T lymphocytes infiltrate hepatocyte cultures in a manner comparable to liver-colonizing...

Previously we have described the infiltration of lymphosarcoma cells into hepatocyte cultures. The interaction between tumor cells and hepatocytes was comparable to that occurring during the formation of liver metastases. Presently we report that antigen-activated T lymphocytes, but not unstimulated T cells, infiltrate hepatocyte cultures in a manner comparable to the lymphosarcoma cells. Thus, liver-colonizing lymphoid tumor cells and activated non-transformed T cells apparently have common characteristics, that enable them to infiltrate between liver cells. A comparative study of activated and non-activated T cells may aid in elucidating these characteristics. In the intact liver activated lymphocytes did not infiltrate, probably because they were not arrested.