Homologous antigen for T cell receptor in axial organ cells from the asterid Asterias rubens.

The axial organ (A.O. cells) of the sea star Asterias rubens is a primitive immune organ. The total population was fractionated into two populations: adherent (B-like) and non-adherent (T-like) to nylon wool. The adherent cells resemble mammalian B lymphocytes and bear homologous human T cell receptor (beta chain) to a higher degree than T-like cells which resemble T lymphocytes.