Morphologic observations of human T and B lymphocytes by scanning electron microscopy.

T cell concerned with cell mediated immunity and B cell concerned with humoral antibody are classified by scanning electron microscopy of the surface structure of lymphocytes using E binding lymphocytes and EAC (sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with complement) binding lymphocytes. For the purpose to elucidate morphological differences between T cell and B cell the scanning electron microscope observations were carried out with the blast forming lymphocytes incubated in the presence of PHA. As a result it has been demonstrated that T cells have short microvilli on the cell surface, but the reason for the difference in the number of the microvilli is unclarified. Even T cells have sometimes long microvilli in the younger stage, they are longer and more slender than those of untreated peripheral B cells. ∗PMID: 4282001 [PubMed indexed for MEDLINE] Copyright c ©OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL Acta Merl. Okayama 28,391-401 (1974) MORPHOLOGIC OBSERVATIONS OF HUMAN T AND B LYMPHOCYTES BY SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY Isamu YAMAMOTO Dep:lrtment of Surgery, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama, Japan (!Jirector: Prof. S. Tanaka) Receivedfor publication, June 1, 1974 Abstract: T cell concerned with cell mediated immunity and B cell concerned with humoral antibody are classified by scanning electron microscopy of the surface structure of lymphocytes using E binding lymphocytes and EAC (sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with complement) binding lymphocytes. For the purpose to elucidate morphological differences between T cell and B cell the scanning electron microscope observations were carried out with the blast forming lymphocytes incubated in the presence of PHA. As a result it has been demonstrated that T cells have short microvilli on the cell surface, but the reason for the difference in the number of the microvilli is unclarified. Even T cells have sometimes long microvilli in the younger stage, they are longer and more slender than those of untreated peripheral B cells. T cell concerned with cell mediated immunity and B cell concerned with humoral antibody are classified by scanning electron microscopy of the surface structure of lymphocytes using E binding lymphocytes and EAC (sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with complement) binding lymphocytes. For the purpose to elucidate morphological differences between T cell and B cell the scanning electron microscope observations were carried out with the blast forming lymphocytes incubated in the presence of PHA. As a result it has been demonstrated that T cells have short microvilli on the cell surface, but the reason for the difference in the number of the microvilli is unclarified. Even T cells have sometimes long microvilli in the younger stage, they are longer and more slender than those of untreated peripheral B cells. Lymphocytes have many roles and functions in immune responses just as the so-called immune ceIls and they are classified by their size, maturity, lysosomal enzyme activity, age, specific gravity, etc. (2, 4, 5). Recently, lymphocytes are classified into two subpopulations by their origins; one group is thymus derived cells (T cell), and the other is bone marrow derived cells (B cell). T cells are known to be concerned with cell mediated immunity, and B cells are concerned with humoral immunity. These two subpopulations have been proved in chicken and mouse. Recently, these subpopulations are found to be functionary in man, but there is hardly any morphological report on differences between T and B cells (1, 3, 8, 9,10,11,12,13,14,16,17). As markers for T cells of human lymphocytes, human thymus lymphoid tissue antigen and rosette formation to bind sheep erythrocytes are utilized, and as markers for B cells, immunoglobulin determinants and antigenantibody-complex (1, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17). In the present observations rosette formation to bind sheep erythrocytes was used as the marker for T cells, and for B cells, sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with complement (EAC) were used. The observations by the scanning electron microscopy by critical point drying (18) have enabled us to clarify the difference between human T cells and B cells from their morpho-