A comparative study of rosette formation in 12 species of nonhuman primates

Lymphocytes, isolated from the peripheral blood of 12 species of nonhuman primates, were tested for the ability to form rosettes with antibody-complement-coated erythrocytes (EAC rosettes) and with erythrocytes from various animal species. In general, New World primates (wooly, spider colobus, capuchin and owl monkeys) had a greater number of EAC rosette-forming cells (30-44%) than did Old World monkeys (baboons, gibbons, rhesus, cynomolgus, pigtailed, stumptailed and Japanese macaques) (22-30%). All possessed lymphocytes capable of forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes. Lymphocytes from some primate species formed rosettes with canine, equine, goat or porcine erythrocytes.