Functional and morphological recovery of the T-cell compartment in lethally irradiated and reconstituted mice.

The recovery of the T-cell compartment in mice after lethal irradiation and reconstitution was studied using functional and morphological parameters. T-helper cell activity, determined by the direct SRBC-plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, recovers in a similar fashion as T-memory function which was studied by adoptive transfer of carrier-primed cells. Both functions return to control levels in 2.5-3 months. Using immunoperoxidase staining of frozen sections with anti-T cell serum, the morphological recovery of the T-cell dependent areas in the white pulp of the spleen could be studied and compared with the functional recovery.