Cell surface immunoglobulin. XII. Localization of immunoglobulin on murine lymphocytes by scanning...

The localization of immunoglobulin (Ig) on the surface of murine splenic lymphocytes has been studied with the scanning electron microscope (SEM), using a rabbit F(ab')2 hybrid antibody directed against mouse Ig and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) with TMV as a morphological marker. 35% of spleen cells and 3% of thymus cells were labeled by this method. Labeled cells were usually small lymphocytes with moderate numbers of microvilli. The Ig molecules were randomly distributed on the lymphocyte surface, appearing on microvilli as well as on the smooth surface of the cell.