Differential migration of lymphoblasts and small lymphocytes induced by mitogens in culture: characteristics of lymphoid cells.

Lymphoid cells from peripheral lymph nodes, spleen, and gut-associated lymphoid tissues (mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches) of the mouse were stimulated by concanavalin A and bacterial lipopolysaccharide in culture: their migration in the mouse was studied. Lymphoblasts and small-medium lymphocytes from the cultures, irrespective of their tissue origins, showed a differential migration when they were passively transferred into syngeneic, immunoglobulin-allotype congeneic or allogeneic recipients. Large lymphoblasts, at late S and G2 + M phases and without MEL-14 reactive determinants, migrated preferentially to the gut. In contrast, small and medium lymphocytes, at Go/Gl and early S phases and with MEL-14 reaction determinants, migrated preferentially to the spleen and liver. The differential migration was shown to be an inherent characteristic of the cultured lymphoid cells. These results suggest that selective migration and lodging of lymphoid cells in the body may be determined by the phases of cell cycle and stages of differentiation.