MESENCHYMAL CELLS 



logical response of the various types of mesenchymal cell 

 seen in stained sections of lymphoid and inflamed tissues. 

 Support for the central immunological function of the 

 lymphocyte must be sought in a variety of fields and reliance 

 placed on a consistent accumulation of circumstantial evi- 

 dence without expecting to obtain any single crucial test of 

 its correctness. 



Dougherty, White and Chase in the period 1 943-6 worked 

 extensively on the theme of the lymphocyte as antibody 

 producer and the influence on it of adrenocorticotrophic 

 hormones. The work is reviewed in Dougherty (1952). 



The points from their work which were regarded as 

 significant were : 



(i) Cells from lymphoid organs, spleen, lymph nodes, 

 thymus, contain gamma globulin and, in immunized 

 animals, antibody. 

 (ii) The weight of the lymphoid organs and the number 

 of circulating lymphocytes is reduced by ACTH 

 and there is concomitant evidence of morphological 

 damage in lymph nodes. Their contention was that 

 antibody was liberated by shedding of lymphocyte 

 cytoplasm under hormonal stimulus, 

 (iii) The results of administering ACTH to mice which had 

 lost antibody titre after a single injection of sheep 

 erythrocytes some weeks previously. Antibody could 

 still be extracted from lymphoid tissue but only 

 appeared in circulation as a result of the ACTH 

 injection. 

 (iv) A lymphoma arising in a mouse immunized with 

 staphylococcal toxin went on producing antibody when 

 transferred to normal mice. 

 Subsequent work has failed to substantiate some of these 

 claims and it can be stated definitely that in rabbits receiving 

 a standard antigen such as ovalbumin and, after the anti- 

 body level had fallen to a low level, injected with an adequate 

 dose of ACTH to reduce the circulating lymphocytes to a low 



108 



