Characterization of rat prothymocyte with monoclonal antibodies recognizing rat lymphocyte membrane antigenic determinants.

Utilizing the technique of fluorescence-activated cell sorting and monoclonal antibodies directed at rat membrane antigens, various subpopulations of Lewis bone marrow cells were isolated and subsequently transfused into sublethally irradiated, histocompatible NBr recipient rats by either intravenous or intrathymic inoculation. Recipient rats were sacrificed and cell suspensions from thymus and other lymphoid tissue were examined for the presence of the RT7.1 marker on Lewis thymus-derived lymphocytes by fluorescence-activated cell analysis. From these studies, the population of Lewis bone marrow cells that could reconstitute T cells in the NBr rats was found to be Ox-22 negative, Ox-7 positive, W3/13 positive, and Ox-18 positive. Further analysis characterized the prothymocyte as being Ox-7 upper 20% positive and W3/13 weakly positive. In addition this marrow cell population was able to protect lethally irradiated Lewis rats (9.5 Gy) in 30-day survival tests. These studies have indicated that the prothymocyte either has been derived from the Ox-22 negative, Ox-7 upper 20% positive, and W3/13 positive marrow cells or, like the hematopoietic stem cell, this cell has also been characterized by this phenotype.